1. The Future Is Bright(er)
You sign for Liverpool and to a certain extent, you're overshadowed by the ghosts of the past. It is an old and illustrious club, with a rich history, as the fans invariably like to tell everyone, that is only really rivalled by Manchester United's embarrassingly bulging trophy cabinet. But that is the past, and Liverpool's star is no longer in the ascendancy. Brendan Rodgers is currently one step along a potentially slow path towards regenerating the club's fortunes, though he himself stated it was a project, implying years in length and no immediate spoils. There will be brightness again, but it won't be yet or soon. The near future at Newcastle on the other hand is bright, as long as the plan continues to work (albeit aside from the current slump) - the club is invested in bringing in the best of Europe's unheralded talents (or France's at least) without spending embarrassing amounts of money, while selling for profit and looking for stability. Their coaching team might need a shake up (the problem isn't Alan Pardew, it's some of his deputies, especially whoever is in charge of fitness), but the Newcastle project is in full swing, and the next few seasons should be a lot more like last season for the Magpies than this season. If he stays, that's exactly what Ben Arfa can expect to be a part of. Plus Newcastle are the closest thing there is in the Premier League to a team actually listening to the Financial Fair Play regulations, which will surely matter as long as the ruling bodies don't turn a blind eye to the underhand financial plays like Man City's ludicrous sponsorship deal or PSG's surely illegal Tourism Endorsement Deal. Besides, swapping Ben Arfa for Andy Carroll is essentially like turning wine into water. Do you think HBA would be better off staying with Newcastle? Share your thoughts below.