Ben Arfa claims 18 clubs are interested

Nice attacking midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa claims he is considering three clubs for his next move from a list of 18 suitors.

The former Newcastle United man has enjoyed a revival of fortunes in Ligue 1 this season, scoring 17 times to fire Nice to a fourth-placed finish.

Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere has claimed Barcelona are considering an offer for the 29-year-old, while Lyon and French champions Paris Saint-Germain have been heavily linked.

And Ben Arfa says he has narrowed down a lengthy list of suitors to three options, if he decides to leave Allianz Riviera.

“For the moment, there are 18 very interesting clubs,” Ben Arfa, who has visited the Cannes film festival this week, told Le Journal du Festival on Canal Plus.

“But I’ve already sorted through them and now I’m targeting three of them.

“It’s a very important decision for me to take this year. I’m going to think about it and discuss it with the people close to me.”