Jean-Pierre Rivère sought Ben Arfa return at Nice

Hatem Ben Arfa did not return to professional football with Nice after club president Jean-Pierre Rivère explored a January 2026 comeback. Rivère had contacted the former midfielder after returning to the club in December to help address a serious crisis, while Nice was struggling in the league. Ben Arfa showed interest, but no agreement was completed.

The 39-year-old has not played for a professional club since leaving Lille in 2022, although he has never formally announced his retirement. Rivère had kept in touch with the player he brought to Nice for the 2015-16 season, when Ben Arfa produced the most productive campaign of his career: 17 goals and six assists in 34 matches. The president hoped a strong Coupe de France run could provide a stage for a late-season return, with Nice eventually reaching the final before losing 3-1 to Lens on May 22, 2026.

The proposed arrangement included club support to rebuild Ben Arfa’s fitness, followed by appearances of 20, 30 or 40 minutes. The plan would have involved almost no salary because of Nice’s financial austerity. Concerns emerged internally about his physical condition and the expectations a comeback could create. Coach Claude Puel, also back at Nice in December, accepted the idea only if Ben Arfa trained in Paris first or joined the reserve team to regain rhythm. Rivère ultimately judged that the return was not workable.