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Atletico Madrid are considering a move for French attacking midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa from Nice. The 29-year-old is out of contract in the summer and could reportedly double his wages to €4 million at the Calderon should Atletico decide to sign him.
The Nice attacker has landed 16 goals and four assists in 30 league games (17 in 33 in total) and has said he wants European football next year with the president of the club Jean-Pierre Rivere conceding it would be hard to keep hold of the player.
Ben Arfa is keen to make the France 2016 squad despite having played for Didier Deschamps at Marseille and suffering a topsy-turvy relationship with the now French manager.
Upon Ben Arfa's recall to the national squad at the tail end of last year, however, Deschamps hailed the player as a difference-maker. He said, "Hatem has enjoyed a very good start to the season and it is good to have him back with the national team.
"I do not have any problems with Hatem. We disagreed on one point and I was wrong there.
"He has the ability to make the difference with one move."
Ben Arfa has been linked with moves to PSG along with Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and even interest from some English clubs.
Atletico believe he would be a good compliment to Yannick Carrasco with the Belgian enjoying a fruitful first year in Spain's capital. Ben Arfa might have seen the success of his compatriot Antoine Griezmann at Atletico and with the club competing in Europe and domestically for the foreseeable future, it might be a wiser move than returning to England, or moving to PSG where things appear ambiguous regarding the future of Laurent Blanc.