Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has urged midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa to improve his performance levels.

Pardew also dismissed speculation that the Frenchman is unhappy at the Sports Direct Arena and is hoping for a move back to his homeland.

"I know there have been suggestions, rumours, that he isn't happy here, but it's just not true," Pardew told reporters. "He's fine, I think he knows he's not at his best yet and the stats in the game he has played, I would expect better from him because of what a good player he is.

"He just needs to come up a level.

"It's not about his relationship with the other players, you're looking too deeply into this, he's just a player who needs more time."

The 24-year-old joined the Magpies in 2010 from Marseille.