After leaving Newcastle United by mutual consent in early January following a disappointing spell in England, Ben Arfa joined Nice looking to rebuild his career.
However, the 27-year-old has been refused the right to play for the Ligue 1 outfit with the French Football League (LFP), which ratifies contracts, ruling he would be breaking rules that do not allow players to feature for three clubs in a single season.
Ben Arfa, who has been training with Claude Puel's squad, and Nice have agreed to tear up the deal they signed last month, and the player's advisor, Jean-Jacques Bertrand, said the player may now hang up his boots.
"He can't not play competitively for seven months -- that's completely out of the question, unless he stops playing altogether," Bertrand said. "That's not out of the question for the moment, because he is quite distressed by what he considers to be persecution.
"Players can sometimes be a bit paranoid, people say, but he gets the feeling that people don't want to see him. In England, it's difficult. Here, he's done nothing wrong, and they don't want him to play. There comes a time when he has to ask himself the question.
"I have known others who have had the same idea during their career, and we are here to convince them they still have some great things to do in football. Now we have to look at what options he has to play elsewhere before August."
The French Football Federation (FFF) had asked FIFA whether Ben Arfa, having played for Newcastle's under-21 team in August and Hull City in the Premier League on loan, could feature for the Ligue 1 side.
Football's global governing body advised the FFF that Ben Arfa would be technically in breach of their regulations forbidding players to play for three clubs in the same campaign.
Despite the English FA telling their French counterparts they did not consider Ben Arfa's Newcastle appearance to be official, the former Marseille midfielder was told he would not be able to resurrect his career in his native country until August.
"The problem comes from the authorities, who -- regardless of the arguments put forward -- insist on saying the match was official," Bertrand said. "Everyone tells you that the law is the law, and the rule is the rule. They retreat behind that, and you can't do anything about it."
Ben Arfa and Nice will confirm the player's departure at a news conference on Tuesday.
"All the methods of appeal have fallen short -- it's pointless continuing," Bertrand said. "It's no longer possible, so he's going to say that he will leave the club while thanking them for the effort they made in bringing him back."
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NEWCASTLE UTD v STOKE CITY
Sunday February 7th
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Newcastle Utd Fixtures ...
2014/15 SEASON
Sunday August 17
NEWCASTLE 0 MAN CITY 2
Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Colback, Anita (63' Obertan), Cabella, Sissoko, Gouffran (74' Aarons), Riviere (83' Perez).
Subs: Haidara, Elliot, S Taylor, Abeid
Saturday August 23
ASTON VILLA 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Anita (70' de Jong), Colback, Cabella, Sissoko, Gouffran, Riviere (77' Perez - 90+2' S Taylor).
Subs: Haidara, Elliot, Obertan, Abeid
Tuesday August 26
LC GILLINGHAM 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Egan OG)
Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini, S Taylor, Haidara, Sissoko, Abeid, Obertan, de Jong (68' Perez), Aarons (60' Cabella), Riviere (86' Gouffran)
Subs: Anita, Ferreyra, Elliot, Dummett
Saturday August 30
NEWCASTLE 3 CRYSTAL PALACE 3 (Janmaat, Aarons, Williamson)
Krul, Janmaat (79' Perez), Williamson, Coloccini, Haidara, Sissoko, Colback, Cabella, de Jong (79' Anita), Gouffran (67' Aarons), Riviere
Subs: Elliot, Obertan, S Taylor, Dummett
Saturday September 13
SOUTHAMPTON 4 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Haidara, Anita (45' Tiote), Colback, Cabella (69' Perez), Sissoko (90'Ameobi), Gouffran, Riviere
Subs: Elliot, Obertan, S Taylor, Armstrong
Saturday September 20
NEWCASTLE 2 HULL CITY (Cisse 2)
Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Tiote (85' Ameobi), Colback, Sissoko, Cabella, Gouffran (90+4' Perez), Riviere (69' Cisse)
Subs: Anita, Haidara, Elliot, S Taylor
Wednesday September 24
LC CRYSTAL PALACE 2 NEWCASTLE 3 AET (Riviere 2, Dummett)
Elliot, Janmaat (46 Haidara), Coloccini, S Taylor, Dummett, Colback, Abeid, Obertan, Armstrong, Ameobi (66 Sissoko), Riviere (80 Perez)
Subs: Anita, Ferreyra, Cabella, Alnwick
Monday September 29
STOKE CITY 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Tiote, Colback, Sissoko, Cabella (74' Ameobi), Gouffran (68' Obertan), Riviere (45' Cisse)
Subs: Anita, Elliot, S Taylor, Armstrong
Saturday October 4
SWANSEA CITY 2 NEWCASTLE 2 (Cisse 2)
Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Obertan, Tiote, Sissoko, Colback (69' Riviere), Gouffran (58' Ameobi), Cisse (85' Perez).
Subs: Anita, Haidara, Cabella, Elliot
Saturday October 18
NEWCASTLE 1 LEICESTER CITY 0 (Obertan)
Krul, Janmaat, S Taylor, Coloccini, Dummett (72' Haidara), Tiote, Anita (59' Perez), Colback, Obertan, Sissoko, Gouffran (90+2' Cabella), Cisse
Subs: Elliot, Abeid, Armstrong
Saturday October 26
TOTTENHAM 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ameobi, Perez)
Krul, Janmaat, S Taylor, Coloccini, Dummett, Anita (45' Cabella), Colback, Obertan (45' Ameobi), Sissoko, Gouffran, Perez (79' Haidara)
Subs: R Taylor, Ferreyra, Elliot, Armstrong
Wednesday October 29
LC MAN CITY 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Aarons, Sissoko)
Elliot, Janmaat (64' Sissoko), Coloccini, Dummett, Haidara, Colback, R Taylor, Abeid, Obertan, Armstrong (65' Riviere), Aarons (46' Ameobi)
Subs: Krul, Gouffran, Perez, Cabella
Saturday November 1
NEWCASTLE 1 LIVERPOOL 0 (Perez)
Elliot, Krul, Janmaat, S Taylor, Coloccini, Dummett, Abeid, Colback, Obertan (27' Aarons), Sissoko), Ameobi (66' Cabella), Cisse (45' Perez)
Subs: R Taylor, Gouffran, Haidara, Elliot
Sunday November 9
WEST BROM 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Perez, Coloccini)
Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini (78' Williamson), Dummett, Haidara, Abeid, Colback, Cabella (82' R Taylor), Sissoko, Ameobi (78' Gouffran), Perez
Subs: Anita, Cisse, Elliot, Armstrong
Saturday November 22
NEWCASTLE 1 QPR 0 (sissoko)
Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Dummett, Haidara, R Taylor (34' Gouffran), Colback, Cabella (68' Cisse), Sissoko, Ameobi, Perez (89' Armstrong)
Subs: Anita, Ferreyra, Elliot, Streete
Saturday November 29
WEST HAM 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot, Janmaat (74' S Taylor), Williamson, Dummett, Haidara, Tiote (63' Cabella), Colback, Gouffran (63' Cisse), Sissoko, Ameobi, Perez
Subs: Anita, Riviere, Alnwick, Armstrong
Tuesday December 2
BURNLEY 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Cisse)
Elliot, Janmaat, Williamson (45' S Taylor), Dummett, Haidara, Abeid, Tiote, Gouffran, Perez (45' Cabella), Ameobi (75' Riviere), Cisse
Subs: Anita, Alnwick, Armstrong, Streete
Saturday December 6
NEWCASTLE 2 CHELSEA 1 (Cisse 2)
Elliot (45' Alnwick), Janmaat, S Taylor, Coloccini, Dummett, Tiote, Colback, Cabella (53' Cisse), Sissoko, Ameobi (83' Williamson), Perez
Subs: Anita, Gouffran, Haidara, Riviere
Saturday December 13
ARSENAL 4 NEWCASTLE 1 (Perez)
Alnwick, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Tiote, Colback, Perez (82' Armstrong), Ameobi (56' Cabella), Gouffran, Cisse (56' Riviere)
Subs: Anita, Haidara, Vuckic, Woodman
Wednesday December 17
LC TOTTENHAM 4 NEWCASTLE 0
Alnwick, Coloccini, Williamson, Haidara, Dummett, Colback, Cabella (80' Vuckic), Gouffran, Perez, Sissoko (73' Anita), Riviere (60' Armstrong)
Subs: Streete, Satka, Woodman, Roberts
Sunday December 21
NEWCASTLE 0 SUNDERLAND 1
Alnwick, Janmaat, S Taylor, Coloccini, Dummett, Tiote (75' Cisse), Colback, Gouffran (59' Armstrong), Sissoko, Ameobi (89' Cabella), Perez
Subs: Williamson, Haidara, Riviere, Woodman
Friday December 26
MANCHESTER UNITED 3 NEWCASTLE 1 (Cisse pen)
Alnwick, Janmaat, S Taylor, Coloccini, Dummett (63' Cabella), Anita, Colback, Gouffran, Sissoko, Armstrong (63' Cisse), Perez (82' Vuckic)
Subs: Williamson, Riviere, Satka, Woodman
Sunday December 28
NEWCASTLE 3 EVERTON 2 (Cisse, Perez, Colback)
Alnwick, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Tiote, Colback, Sissoko, Perez, Gouffran (90+1' Cabella), Cisse (73' Riviere)
Subs: Santon, Anita, S Taylor, Armstrong, Woodman
Thursday January 1 2015
NEWCASTLE 3 BURNLEY 3 (S Taylor, Sissoko, Colback)
Alnwick, Janmaat, Coloccini, S Taylor (Williamson 61), Dummett, Sissoko, Colback Tiote, Gouffran (Haidara 71), Perez, Riviere (Armstrong 57)
Subs: Santon, Anita, Satka, Woodman
Saturday January 3 2015
FAC LEICESTER CITY 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Alnwick, Santon, Williamson, Dummett, Haidara, Tiote, Anita, Vuckic (79' Roberts), Armstrong, Riviere, Cabella
Subs: Gouffran, Campbell, Satka, Bigirimana, Woodman, Gilliead
Saturday January 10 2015
CHELSEA 2 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Anita, Colback, Cabella, Sissoko (84' Riviere), Gouffran (63' Ameobi), Perez
Subs: Santon, Haidara, Vuckic, Satka, Woodman
Saturday January 17 2015
NEWCASTLE 1 SOUTHAMPTON 2 (Gouffran)
Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini, Dummett (80' Williamson), Haidara, Anita (68' Ameobi), Colback, Cabella, Sissoko, Gouffran (68' Riviere), Perez
Subs: Santon, Abeid, Armstrong, Woodman
Saturday January 31 2015
HULL CITY 0 NEWCASTLE 3 (Cabella, Ameobi, Gouffran)
Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Haidara, Anita, Colback, Cabella (72' Gouffran), Sissoko, Ameobi (90+2' Abeid), Perez (82' Cisse)
Subs: Santon, Obertan, Riviere, Alnwick
Sunday February 8 2015
Newcastle United v Stoke City
Tuesday February 10 2015
Crystal Palace v Newcastle United
Saturday February 21 2015
Manchester City v Newcastle United
Saturday February 28 2015
Newcastle United v Aston Villa
Wednesday March 4 2015
Newcastle United v Man Utd
Saturday March 14 2015
Everton v Newcastle United
Saturday March 21 2015
Newcastle United v Arsenal
Saturday April 4 2015
Sunderland v Newcastle United
Saturday April 11 2015
Liverpool v Newcastle United
Saturday April 18 2015
Newcastle United v Tottenham
Saturday April 25 2015
Newcastle United v Swansea City
Saturday May 2 2015
Leicester City v Newcastle United
Saturday May 9 2015
Newcastle United v West Brom
Saturday May 16 2015
QPR v Newcastle United
Sunday May 24 2015
Newcastle United v West Ham United