Ben Arfa heads Blanc’s Premiership contingent

Newcastle United playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa is the eye-catching name among the initial list of 12 overseas-based players selected for France’s Euro 2012 training squad.

The ex-Marseille man did not feature at all in qualification, his last international appearance coming in August 2010 – shortly before he broke his leg playing for the Magpies against Manchester City. That cap, Ben Arfa’s eighth, came in coach Laurent Blanc’s first match in charge against Norway, for which the former Bordeaux boss dropped all the players involved in Les Bleus’ atrocious World Cup campaign in South Africa.

Other English-based players include Ben Arfa’s club-mate Yohan Cabaye and Manchester City’s Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy as well as centre-backs Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) and Younes Kaboul (Tottenham), Manchester United full-back Patrice Evra and Chelsea winger Florent Malouda. Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery and Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema provide attacking options with Adil Rami of Valencia and AC Milan’s Philippe Mexes also centre backs.