Lee Clark made an attempt to sign the ex-Newcastle United winger before Hull City signed him.
Clark says that Hatem Ben Arfa showed a "courteous and respectful attitude" after Birmingham City’s bid to take him to the Championship.
Lee Clark: “I contacted (first team coach) Steve Stone to find out about his availability. I then spoke to (managing director) Lee Charnley and asked about Ben Arfa to see if we could do anything.
“They came back to say that he wanted to stay in the Premier League but the player appreciated our interest and thanked us for it.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t get that one done either.
“But if you don’t ask these questions then you are never going to know.
"I would love to bring Hatem here. If he had a bad attitude I wouldn't have made thye offer."