HATEM BEN ARFA has accused Alan Pardew of ‘helping make his life hell’ at Newcastle United, and claimed he is flourishing at Nice because he finally has a manager who believes in him.

Ben Arfa’s Newcastle career came to an acrimonious end when a falling out with Pardew resulted in him being forced to train with the club’s juniors. An unsuccessful loan spell at Hull City preceded Newcastle cancelling his contract in January 2015, and he was forced to spend six months out of the game because FIFA regulations prevented him from playing for Nice.

Since returning to Ligue 1 in the summer, he has rediscovered his form spectacularly, scoring 11 goals in 24 appearances and reclaiming a place in the France squad ahead of this summer’s European Championships.

He attributes his turnaround in fortunes to the warmth and respect he feels he receives in Nice, which stand in marked contrast to the way he was treated during his time on Tyneside.

“Hell is when everyone turns their back on you,” said Ben Arfa, during an interview with French publication Onze Mondial. “Well, no, hell is when you can’t see the end of the tunnel.

“You’re on your own, with no one to support you and you move forward in the fog. You don’t know where you’re going. You just know that you’re going in the wrong path. I’ve lived all of that.

“Now, I’m lucky to have a club, and especially a coach (Claude Puel), who support me. It’s paradise compared to what I went through. I don’t feel lonely anymore – I feel loved.”

Ben Arfa’s upturn in form has seen him linked with some of Europe’s leading clubs, with the French media seemingly convinced that he will join Paris St Germain in the summer.

Loic Remy is another former Newcastle player who looks like being on the move shortly, with Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua having lined up an £11.2m move for the striker.

Shanghai, who pulled out of a move for Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote last month, are reportedly willing to pay around £7m-a-year in wages in order to lure Remy to the Chinese Super League.

Chelsea were willing to sell Remy last month, but potential interest from both Newcastle and Leicester City came to nothing.

Given that Chelsea officials would almost certainly have been aware of the mounting interest from China at that stage, their reluctance to agree to a loan move for the France international is understandable.

Newcastle were only interested in a loan deal, as they did not want to commit to a permanent transfer for a player who turned 29 in January.