Hatem Ben Arfa nearly returned to OGC Nice last winter

Former French international Hatem Ben Arfa was seriously considered for a return to OGC Nice last winter, according to former manager Claude Puel. The proposal was reportedly initiated by club president Jean-Pierre Rivère.

Ben Arfa, who has not played professional football since April 2022, had previously enjoyed a highly successful stint with Nice during the 2015-2016 season, scoring 17 goals in 34 matches. While Puel was open to assessing the player's physical condition—noting that Ben Arfa had been active in padel—he ultimately deemed the move too risky for the club at that time.

Puel explained that because Nice was struggling for survival in Ligue 1, the potential for a disastrous outcome regarding player integration and supporter expectations was too high. He noted that while Rivère often pursues bold moves to break deadlocks, the risk of destabilizing the group was not considered opportune during the club's fight against relegation.