Newcastle manager Pardew plans Ben Arfa talks after France fall-out

Jul 13, 2012 1:48:00 PM

The 25 year-old wide man endured a frustrating and trouble-filled spell with Laurent Blanc's side at Euro 2012 after exiting at the quarter-final stage to eventual winners Spain

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has admitted that he plans to talk to winger Hatem Ben Arfa upon his return to the club for pre-season training after a troubled summer with the French national team.

The French FA are planning to discipline the 25-year-old former Marseille midfielder for his part in a dressing-room altercation after the 2-0 defeat to Sweden at Euro 2012. It represents the latest in a long line of documented cases involving Ben Arfa's attitude problem, but Pardew is keen to address the issue before the new league season starts.

"I haven't really studied what went on with France at the Euros and I won't get the real version until I speak to Hatem," Pardew told reporters.

"He doesn't come back until a lot later in pre-season because he and Yohan Cabaye need some rest.

"Certainly I will have a conversation with him because I want him to pick up where he left off for us, which was in a good place."

Looking ahead to the new season, though, Pardew remainz positive about the shape of the current Newcastle squad, stating that the youngsters will get plenty of opportunity to show what they can do over the coming months, particularly in Europe.

He added: "There is nothing fans cheer more than when a young player has come through the ranks.

"We have players with great potential. I could spend six or seven million [pounds] on someone who isn't better than these if they realise that. We could make a big error thinking we can get someone better than them.

"The priority for this club is the Premier League and I've said that from day one, that's where our aspirations are. The cups are our second priority, all the cups and they will get chances in those."

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