Former Newcastle winger Hatem Ben Arfa "will be a Nice player next season" alongside coach Claude Puel, the club president announced on Wednesday.

The 28-year old had been set to join Nice during the winter break but was caught up in an administrative mix-up before FIFA and the French football governing body stepped in to block the transfer.

Ben Arfa had played a game with Newcastle's reserves during the summer of 2014 before being loaned out to Premier League rivals Hull City. The move to Nice prevented Ben Arfa from playing in his first season, due to a rule that a player can only play for two clubs in a single season.

The former Lyon and Marseille forward will now return to France after five years in England.

"Hatem Ben Arfa gave us his word. He has had offers but he's stuck to his agreements," said president Jean-Pierre Riviere in a press conference, where Puel was confirmed in his role.

Hailed as one of France's biggest prospects when he came out through the ranks of his boyhood club Lyon, Ben Arfa has been called up for France 13 times and scored twice.

He won four Ligue 1 titles with Lyon and one with Marseille before signing with Newcastle in 2010.