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Mo Diame has revealed that his friend Hatem Ben Arfa was the inspiration for his move to Newcastle – and reckons the winger would love to come back to United one day.

Diame is beginning to really find his feet on Tyneside and scored the winner at Burton which ensured the Magpies will be Christmas number one in the Championship.

It comes after a slow start at St James’ Park, a club he moved down a division in the summer to join in order to play for Rafa Benitez.

Diame says he still keeps in touch with Ben Arfa, who moved to Paris-Saint Germain in the summer and is struggling to get regular game time. Diame feels that he will make a success of his move to the Ligue 1 giants, but says that he still thinks fondly of Newcastle – the club he left when Alan Pardew was manager.

Diame spoke to Ben Arfa, who he also played with at Hull, before moving to United and said his friend had no hesitation in recommending the club to him.

“Me and Hatem are friends. We had two seasons together at Clairefontaine. We still keep in touch now. He’s not playing a lot at Paris-Saint Germain, but everyone knows the player he is. He will be back,” he said.

(Image: The Chronicle)

“It’s true, Hatem told me to sign for Newcastle when I asked. He told me what a massive club Newcastle is. He was very happy here. He told me he had a good relationship with the fans – he loved it, he told me straight away to come to Newcastle.

“It would be nice for him to come back! He’s a player who could help the team and imagine him coming back and having happy fans who are behind him again. I think it would be good for him and I know he still loves the club.”

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For Diame, Boxing Day will see him come up against the club whose hearts he broke at Wembley back in May.

He was part of the team that won the play-offs with Hull – and scored against Sheffield Wednesday. He is more than aware of the threat the Owls pose.

He said: “Sheffield Wednesday is a big club. Unfortunately for them they played against us (Hull) in the final last year but they are a good team. They manage the ball very well, they’re a good passing team who get a lot of possession and they’ve got players who are very good in possession.

“It will be a tough game, but it’s a game when we’re at home, we can show that we are a good side and we can win it.”

Diame says that he’s really enjoying his time at St James’ Park – and is learning every day from Benitez. “It’s great to work with him,” he says.

“In every single session you can feel his experience. He’s a great manager and you feel from what he achieves that he’s got a lot of experience and when he talks to you, you listen.

“I like working with him. I feel that he has taught me a lot already. You train every day and every week and you feel you can learn something every day: you’re more focused and you listen a lot.

“When you work with someone like this, you have to take everything you can from him.”