Ben Arfa signs for PSG

The former Newcastle and Marseille winger becomes the club's first recruit since new Spanish coach Unai Emery replaced Laurent Blanc this week.

Ben Arfa scored 17 goals and provided six assists in Ligue 1 for his club last season.

France international midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa has signed a two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain from Ligue 1 rival Nice, the French champion announced Friday.

Le >@psg_inside est heureux d’annoncer la signature du contrat d’Hatem Ben Arfa jusqu’au 30 juin 2018 >#TheDreamHunter>pic.twitter.com/0ukOIMPlNL

— PSG Officiel (@PSG_inside) >July 1, 2016

Ben Arfa, 29, was out of contract at Nice and the French champion has warded off competition from a number of European clubs to secure the services of the player. The winger scored 17 goals and provided six assists in Ligue 1 for his club last season.

The former Newcastle and Marseille winger becomes the club's first recruit since new Spanish coach Unai Emery replaced Laurent Blanc this week.

Ben Arfa, who missed out on Didier Deschamps' Euro 2016 squad, was available on a free transfer after his contract with Nice expired this summer.

"Paris Saint-Germain has always had a special place in my heart and wearing this jersey at the Parc des Princes is a childhood dream," said Ben Arfa, who comes from Clamart on the outskirts of Paris.

"I'd like to thank Nice, who enabled me to refind pleasure in playing football and show to the French public what I'm capable of on the pitch."

Ben Arfa moves to the French capital after a 17-goal haul last term which helped Nice into fourth in the table.

At Nice, under the south coast club's then coach Claude Puel, he shed his sometimes badboy image forged by various run-ins with former coaches.

He had a largely disappointing spell in England with Newcastle and a loan spell with Hull City followed by six months out of the game in 2015 before his career-boosting move to Nice.