Newcastle United midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa regrets not knuckling down earlier in his career.

He admits that he regrets not maturing earlier in his career.

"I regret not being mature earlier, because I think that today I would be playing at a higher level," he told Surface magazine in an interview to be published on Thursday.

"Perhaps I would be like [Messi] today. But I've still got time, I can catch him up."