Newcastle United has hinted that Hatem Ben Arfa did not have enough passion for the club.
The French playmaker finds himself at Hull City on a season-long loan after failing to regularly force his way into the Magpies' first team but Pardew also suggests that he may have lacked true desire to fight for his place at St James' Park.
"It would have been an easy decision to keep him," said Pardew of the sublimely talented yet frustrating Ben Arfa.
"But you have to make tough decisions and I made the decision because I think the players we have here have a love and a passion for the club, the shirt and for the fans.
"They want to win for them and that's very important in the modern game. Both the players released on the last day were not regulars for this team."
Pardew was quick to state that he was not solely picking out Ben Arfa when quizzed further whether or not the former Lyon and Marseille man didn't have a love for Newcastle.
"I don't know. I'm only talking about the players who are still here," Pardew added.
"I've never been openly critical of players who have been here in the past in any shape or form. That's for other people to decide.
"But what I do know is that this group, and that's all I'm talking about now, have a real love and passion for the club."
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