Liverpool: Hatem Ben Arfa will consider Premier League return after Reds submit contract offer

Former Newcastle United forward Hatem Ben Arfa has not ruled out a move to Liverpool this summer. The ex-Lyon starlet endured mixed fortunes on Tyneside, thrilling and frustrating in equal measure before he was eventually banished to the club's reserve ranks by former boss Alan Pardew.

A loan stint at Hull City offered hope of a turnaround, but instead the Frenchman further floundered and saw his time at the KC Stadium terminated early. Newcastle followed suit soon after, ripping up his contract at St James' Park in January 2015.

Following a return to his homeland, where he joined Nice in the summer of 2015, Ben Arfa has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround and is now expected to be named in the France squad for Euro 2016. His resurgence has seen him linked with moves across the continent, with RMC Sport claiming Liverpool have already tabled a contract offer, with his current deal due to expire at the end of the season.

RMC claims Nice have "no chance" of retaining the player. Liverpool and Milan have reportedly submitted offers, with Atletico Madrid also considering a move.

In a wide-ranging interview with L'Equipe, Ben Arfa admitted a move to a bigger European club is a possibility, but insisted his immediate focus is on Nice, where the club can still clinch Champions League qualification.

"Me in Ligue 1 next season? Yes, that is possible. Today, everything is possible, apart from going to China or a country like that. Staying in Nice? It is possible. It is not a political answer, especially as there is the Champions League at the end. Join a big club this summer? It is one of the possibilities too. I have advisers around me to protect me from all that. I focus on club goals."

With his contract set to expire, Liverpool can sign Ben Arfa for nothing this summer on a Bosman. The club have already closed a deal to sign Joel Matip from Schalke, who will move to Merseyside when his contract with the German side expires in July.