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Claude Puel had a good season with Nice before moving to Southampton. The French club finished 4th in Ligue 1 and that helped attract the attention of kingmakers at the Saints.

A huge part of that good season was Hatem Ben Arfa and his resurgence to a top player under Puel. Ben Arfa had a difficult end to his Newcastle United career and the club eventually cancelled the player’s contract, but a mix-up meant he was actually ineligible to play for Nice for his first half season with the club.

Quickly making up for lost time, Ben Arfa did enough to impress PSG and ended up there on a free transfer. However, things haven’t gone to plan and Ben Arfa is already being left out of squads by manager Unai Emery.

Puel has been speaking to RTL in France, via Le10 Sport, and told them that Emery needs to realise Ben Arfa is a star player: “Every coach has to make choices. I somehow managed Ben Arfa, is it possible in Paris?

“Hatem is the same type as Ibra. You must build the team around him, put him in the best conditions.”

Emery will surely love the advice.

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