Nice tried to re-sign Hatem Ben Arfa in January 2026

According to "Nice Matin", Hattem Ben Arfa, aged 39, was close to returning to the pitch through Nice in January 2026, after Jean-Pierre Rivère, the club president, reached out to him to help save the team during the second half of the season.

Hatem Ben Arfa played with Nice during the 2015-2016 season, delivering one of the best scoring seasons of his career, as he scored 17 goals and assisted 6 in 34 matches under coach Claude Puel.

Despite being away from professional football since leaving Lille in 2022, Hatem Ben Arfa has not officially announced his retirement and has reportedly shown interest in an offer from River. The president of Nice hoped to benefit from his experience during the final matches of the season, with the possibility of him playing short periods ranging from 20 to 40 minutes.

River has suggested that the club help the player regain his fitness for a nominal salary due to Nice's difficult financial situation. However, the idea has faced reservations within the club, particularly regarding the player's physical condition after four years of absence.

According to "Nice Matin", Claude Puel, who returned to coach Nice in December 2025, was concerned about creating high hopes among fans without guaranteeing Hatem Ben Arfa's readiness. The coach eventually agreed to the idea under certain conditions, the most important being that the player regains his fitness in Paris before joining the team, or starts with the reserve team to regain match rhythm.

In the end, the deal did not go through as River realized that Ben Arfa's return would not be in the form the club had hoped for.