Newcastle United midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa is confident that the club can win its first major trophy in 44 years after Alan Pardew invested heavily during the January transfer window.

The French midfielder had been linked with a possible move to Liverpool after questioning the ambition of the club as they struggled at the wrong end of the Premier League. However, after seeing five players arrive in January he seems fully committed and determined to make the club a success.

Hatem Ben Arfa
Hatem Ben Arfa celebrates after scoring against Aston Villa [Reuters]

Newcastle spent £17million in the last transfer window on five players, including three France internationals Mathieu Debuchy, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Moussa Sissoko, and Ben Arfa now believes the squad can deliver a trophy.

"I'm very happy now because they are very good players," Ben Arfa told the Telegraph. "They will help our team and we are stronger than before. I was in France when the players were signing, I was happy because I know they are good players, not just because they are French. They have made the team stronger.

"We have a stronger team than we had before January. It's good because last season we did very well and finished fifth, but the squad wasn't very big. Now, with the players coming in, it is even stronger and we can do something similar again. The squad is better than it was."

Newcastle face a difficult trip to Russia to play Anzhi Makachala in the Europa League but Ben Arfa is confident that they can progress in the tournament and even win a first major trophy since lifting the Fairs Cup in 1969.

"I hope we can do good things in the Europa League, I hope we can win it," added Ben Arfa. "It is important we climb the Premier League and not fall into the Championship, but this is also important. This is a chance to win a trophy and that is something the whole squad are excited about.

"It is amazing it has been 44 years since Newcastle won anything. It would be great to write my name in history by winning something, for us as a team to become the one who ended the gap."

Ben Arfa is expected to feature in Russia after finally recovering from a hamstring injury which had threatened to derail another excellent season.