By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Hatem Ben Arfa has been rewarded for his sterling displays for Newcastle United with a call-up to the France squad for the European Championships.

Yohan Cabaye is also included in Laurent Blanc's squad for the tournament in Poland and the Ukraine, having been a regular for his country in recent months.

Ben Arfa, however, hadn't played for Les Bleus since August 2010 but his performances in the second half of this season have proven impossible to ignore.

Alan Pardew has often talked up the player's international chances and Blanc has bought into the ex-Marseille maverick as a wildcard entry to his party.

The Magpies duo were in a 12-name list of oversees players to be selected, with a further dozen players from the French league to be called up next week ahead of the competition.

First, France have three friendly fixtures: Iceland in Valenciennes on Sunday, 27th May, Serbia in Reims on Thursday, 31st May and Estonia in Le Mans on Tuesday, 5th June.