Ben Arfa seals Marseille move

French League rule on midfielder's Lyon exit

Last updated: 1st July 2008

Ben Arfa seals Marseille move

Ben Arfa: Marseille move

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France midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa has completed his protracted move to Marseille from Lyon, following a meeting of the French Football League (LFP)

The sticking point on the transfer was the fee for Ben Arfa, who has signed a four-year deal, but the two clubs have settled on a sum of 12million euros (£9.5million).

Marseille announced the transfer last week, only for Lyon to claim the deal had not been completed because they had not received all the required financial guarantees.

The LFP were brought in to mediate on the case and have ruled that the deal is valid after a three-hour hearing.

A statement said: "The transfer is sealed from the date of June 30."

Relieved

Ben Arfa, who trained with Marseille on Tuesday, said: "I am relieved. The only thing to say now is that I am a Marseille player."

The midfielder won his first full cap against the Faroe Islands last year but did not make Raymond Domenech's squad for Euro 2008.

Ben Arfa is regarded as one of France's rising stars, along with Lyon striker Karim Benzema and Samir Nasri, who is expected to join Arsenal.

Ben Arfa, who had also been linked with a move to the Gunners, joined the French champions in 2004 and helped them to four consecutive titles between 2005 and 2008.