Newcastle United must pay out Hatem Ben Arfa's contract to move him on.

The Sunday Mirror says Hull's decision to bring an early end to the 27-year-old's season-long loan deal has alerted several European clubs.

But Newcastle know that the £60,000-a-week contract that the player has in England is too rich for all the interested parties.

Newcastle are reluctant to pay anything for a player that boss Alan Pardew has accused of being unprofessional.

But the Tyneside club are faced with the nightmare prospect of a Ben Arfa returning to St James' Park to see out the remaining few months of his contract.