Birmingham City keen on Newcastle United outcast Hatem Ben Arfa?

Birmingham City are ready to offer Newcastle United misfit Hatem Ben Arfa a route out of the Tyneside club, reports suggest.

Former France international Ben Arfa has recently reiterated his desire to stay at Newcastle, though his days at the club appear to be numbered after having been forced to train with the reserves.

Now, according to The Chronicle, Blues boss Lee Clark would be keen on taking Ben Arfa on loan and offering him game time and a change of scenery.

The player now faces the choices of either quitting the club and heading back to France for lower wages with Lyon, playing in the reserves or entertaining the possibility of a loan deal to the Championship.

If he sticks to his guns and remains at Newcastle, however, he is facing a staggered match schedule with the team's reserves, with games littered around the first team fixture list between now and January.