Ben Arfa returns to Newcastle training after leg break

Ben Arfa scored on his full debut for Newcastle at Everton in September

Hatem Ben Arfa has returned to training at Newcastle United, six months after suffering a double leg break against Manchester City.

The midfielder joined the squad in a warm-up on Tuesday, after doing most of his rehabilitation in France.

"It is great to be back with Newcastle and with the lads," said Ben Arfa.

The France international broke his left tibia and fibula in a challenge with Nigel de Jong in a 2-1 defeat by Manchester City.

He had surgery to repair the damage, then needed a second operation to tackle an infection.

"It has been a difficult period without football, but I am pleased with how my recovery has gone," Ben Arfa told the club's website.

He also paid tribute to Newcastle fans for their support while he has been out injured.

The 24-year-old scored the only goal of the game on his full debut for the club, a 1-0 victory away at Everton on 18 September, but played only one further full match before suffering his injury on 3 October.

HATEM BEN ARFA BIOG Graduate of France's famed Clairefontaine youth academy Joined French side Lyon in 2002, and won four Ligue 1 titles Made an £8.5m move in 2008 to Marseille, where he won another league championship in 2009-10

Ben Arfa was initially signed last August by former Newcastle manager Chris Hughton on a season-long loan from Marseille.

But Hughton's successor Alan Pardew, who took charge in December, wanted to secure the Frenchman for the longer term and in January Ben Arfa signed for Newcastle until June 2015.

Paris-born Ben Arfa has eight caps for the France national team, the last of which came as a scoring substitute in last August's 2-1 friendly defeat by Norway.