Hatem Ben Arfa joins French champions PSG

The mercurial playmaker played for Olympique Lyon and Olympique Marseille before joining Newcastle United in 2010. He spent five years with the English club before moving back to France last year.

"Paris St Germain is happy to announce the signing of forward Hatem Ben Arfa on a two-year contract, tying him to the club until 30 June 2018," the club said in a statement on its website.

Ben Arfa, 29, made 37 appearances for Nice last season, scoring 17 goals and helping guide the club to a fourth-placed finish in Ligue 1.

The most prolific season of his erratic career earned Ben Arfa a recall by France coach Didier Deschamps in the build-up to the European Championship in France.

Born in Clamart, outside Paris, he had said several times that he would love to play for PSG.

"Signing with Paris St Germain is a very happy and a proud moment... I will do my utmost to represent my new team to the best of my abilities and to make our supporters proud," Ben Arfa said.

He later revealed that he had had the opportunity to join Sevilla before receiving the offer from PSG.

New coach Unai Emery, who guided Spanish club Sevilla to a third consecutive Europa League title last season, replaced Laurent Blanc, who parted company with PSG after three seasons in charge.

PSG achieved their second successive domestic treble by winning Ligue 1, the French Cup and the League Cup, but they lost in the Champions League quarter-finals for the fourth successive season.