Nasri insists his move is not about money

• zocoss

  22 Aug 11, 13:33

  Roberto Mancini warns Arsène Wenger he could sink Samir Nasri deal with Champions League 'cup-tie'

  Roberto Mancini has warned Arsène Wenger he risks wrecking Samir Nasri’s £23 million transfer to Manchester City if the Arsenal manager creates a “big problem” by selecting the midfielder for the Champions League play-off against Udinese on Wednesday.

   

   

   

  

  In the balance: Samir Nasri is needed by Arsenal against Udinese - but playing would slash his value to Mancini Photo: Getty Images

   

   

   

  Having selected Nasri for Arsenal’s Premier League defeat at home to Liverpool on Saturday, Wenger has now insisted he has no concerns over the possibility of leaving the 24 year-old cup-tied for the Champions League.

  That would make him ineligible for Manchester City’s campaign in the competition, by naming him to face Udinese in a game which is crucial to the Gunners’ hopes of progressing to the group stages.

  But after watching his team move to the top of the Premier League with a 3-2 victory at Bolton on Sunday, City manager Mancini admits he could shift his attentions elsewhere if Wenger calls on Nasri in Italy.

  “If Nasri plays against Udinese, it could be possible [to pursue other targets[, yes.” Mancini said. “I think we can close [the deal] in the next two days, but if he plays in the Champions League, it will be a big problem. A big problem.

  “It’s a big problem because we have followed Nasri for 40 days and I have hoped (it would be completed) in two days or in three days. I don’t know why we didn’t close it, but for Nasri, it will be important to play all the Champions League with us.”

  Wenger is unlikely to be influenced by Mancini’s warning, however, due to the importance of Arsenal’s clash with Udinese.

  Failure to build on last week’s 1-0 first-leg victory could see Arsenal’s hopes of reaching the Champions League group stages for a 14th successive season ended by the Serie A club and Wenger, when asked whether he would be worried about cup-tieing Nasri, insisted that his club’s progression is more important than the player’s availability for another club in the same competition.

  “No,” Wenger said. “What is important to us is to qualify. “Both Manchester clubs are on the case,” Wenger said. “Perhaps one day, but it’s a long, long, long way from being done.”

  Despite agreeing personal terms of £170,000-a-week with the France international, City have failed to complete the signing of Nasri due to a dispute over agent payments which remains unresolved.

  The delay in securing Nasri’s services has led to suggestions that the player could now see out the final year of his Arsenal contract and it was reported in France at the weekend that deal with City was off.

  Although Wenger has alluded to continuing interest in Nasri from Manchester United, the Premier League champions are reluctant to improve on the £20m bid lodged in June.

  City officials remain confident that the deal will still go ahead, despite the hitch, but Mancini admits he wants a swift resolution.

  “I am sure we can close this in 24 or 48 hours, but I don’t know why it hasn’t been closed.

  “I hope that we can have Nasri in the next day, but I don't/dot know when it will happen. We still have 10 days, but we need some players if we want to complete our team and I hope he is not the last one in.”

  If Nasri arrives at City before the Aug 31 transfer deadline, the former Marseille player’s first challenge will be to find a way into a team that has claimed top spot having scored seven goals in two games.

  Against Bolton, Spain winger David Silva proved the creative force, with £27m forward Edin Dzeko also impressing. But despite his team’s victory, Mancini left the Reebok concerned about the defensive frailties which enabled Bolton to score twice.

  Mancini said: “We played very well, but I can’t believe that we suffered until the last seconds.

  “For me, we can’t concede two stupid goals like today. We have to pay more attention. The first and second goals are the same and we can’t concede like this if we want to do well this season.

  “People say we are more offensive, but every game last year we tried to score two or three goals and it wasn’t always possible.

  “It’s important the team has balance and doesn’t concede stupid goals like today because, until the last second, the game was open.”

  Meanwhile, Mancini has insisted that City will not allow the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor and Craig Bellamy to leave the club on free transfers. They have been told they can leave, but Mancini has warned that clubs must pay for their services.

  He said: “All these players are good players and if some teams want these, then they have to pay, like us. I don’t understand why clubs don’t pay for these players.”

• zocoss

  23 Aug 11, 13:58

  Samir Nasri misses Arsenal's Udinese tie after Arsène Wenger climbdown

  • Samir Nasri's switch to Manchester City moves closer
  • French forward eager not to be cup-tied in Europe

  

  Samir Nasri was warmly received by Arsenal fans in the match against Liverpool but will miss the Udinese trip. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

   

    

   

  Samir Nasri will not travel to Italy on Tuesday for Arsenal's pivotal Champions League play-off second-leg tie against Udinese, after telling Arsène Wenger that he did not want to become cup-tied in Europe and see his proposed £22m transfer to Manchester City put in jeopardy.

  Wenger has been forced to accept Nasri's wishes and he has omitted him from the squad, despite his insistence at the weekend that he was ready and willing to select the midfielder for Wednesday's game as the most important thing was to qualify for the group phase of Europe's elite competition. Arsenal lead 1-0 from the first leg at the Emirates last Tuesday.

  Nasri has had his head turned by City and his desire to complete the transfer has only intensified since the weekend, when he played in Arsenal's dispiriting 2-0 home defeat by Liverpool on Saturday and City won 3-2 at Bolton Wanderers on Sunday to make it six points from an available six.

• zocoss

  24 Aug 11, 09:51

  'It's not a coincidence that everybody lands at Manchester City' - Arsenal's Arsene Wenger believes money tempted Samir Nasri to leave

  Frenchman admits he did not want to lose Nasri or Fabregas, but was forced to let both leave for 'psychological' reasons, while claiming money runs the game these days

   

  

  Getty Images

   

    

   

  Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will be without Jack Wilshere and Samir Nasri tonight

   

    

  Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Samir Nasri and other players that have moved to Manchester City, were tempted there by the vast riches on offer.
  

  The Frenchman looks to be heading to the Etihad Stadium after the two clubs agreed a £23 million deal for the midfielder, and he follows former team-mate Gael Clichy, who moved for £7m earlier this summer.
  
  And while Wenger refused to question Nasri's commitment to Arsenal, he did hint that Roberto Mancini's side have been able to sweep up the best of the Premier League talent thanks to their bottomless bank account.
  
  “I am a realist so I have no illusions. It's part of the modern life of a professional football player. It's not that by coincidence that everybody suddenly lands at Man City," Wenger told Arsenal's official website.
  
  “Samir trained on Tuesday morning. But I knew before training. He didn’t know, the decision was made this morning just before training. He came in to practice.
  
  “I don’t question Samir Nasri's commitment or professionalism. If I told him ‘you come with us and play’, he would have played like he did on Saturday but you wonder what kind of a commitment you can have.
  
  “Football rules are made like that, that the player can be worth a lot of money today and nothing in six months so it doesn’t look completely logical but, at the end of the day, of course, we are forced into a decision like that for psychological and financial reasons."
  
  Wenger believes the days of players spending their entire career with one club are over, especially when other teams are able to offer huge amounts of money.
  
  “We did not want to lose Fabregas, but we were forced into a situation we didn’t want. Nasri is a situation where the player didn’t want to extend his contract with the proposals he had somewhere else," he added.
  
  "What kind of commitment can you have when the player is not there long-term? That is the question you have to answer.”
• Rock^Star

  24 Aug 11, 09:55

  If wenger remains at arsenal, I don't think much else can be achieved. He won trophies at a time when the likes of chelsea and man city have not come up. If he still sticks to the old policy of not buying big stars, then I think that's the way arsenal is going to be. Very sad for arsenal fans of course but good for football. Pretty much a dilemma.

• zocoss

  24 Aug 11, 10:05

  Originally posted by Rock^Star:

  If wenger remains at arsenal, I don't think much else can be achieved. He won trophies at a time when the likes of chelsea and man city have not come up. If he still sticks to the old policy of not buying big stars, then I think that's the way arsenal is going to be. Very sad for arsenal fans of course but good for football. Pretty much a dilemma.

  
  You can blame him totally as it's more the board that should be blame on... They give him very little funds to spend each season and yet expect to continue doing well which they have under him... Not only do they refuse to pay bigger transfer fees, they also pay very low salaries compare to the others in the top level...

  If without Wenger and with their pay structure... chances are they may not make it into the CL every year... But this season, because of Liverpool's crazy spending... It has made it even more difficult for him to repeat what he has been doing these past few seasons, taking them into Europe on a tight budget and still getting the returns from it...

• Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1)

  24 Aug 11, 10:09

  i think hor , we are equal to everton ....
  
  
  

• dragg

  24 Aug 11, 11:15

  arsenal really make good money in transfers.  but they win nothing!!

  the owners must be happy.  but what about the fans?

   

• iceFatboy

  24 Aug 11, 15:12

  well,they had to build a stadium, maybe, that sink a big chunk...

• zocoss

  24 Aug 11, 23:21

  Manchester City complete signing of Arsenal's Samir Nasri on four-year deal

  After a full summer of pursuing the midfielder, Roberto Mancini has finally got his man as the French midfielder signs a deal that ties him to the Etihad stadium side until 2015

   

  

  Nasri, who will wear the No 19 shirt, has signed a four-year deal at the Etihad Stadium worth £185,000-a-week
  
  

   

  Manchester City have completed the signing of Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri for £24 million and will sign a four year deal at Eastlands.
  
  The Blues have finally captured the Frenchman after a long summer pursuit of the 24-year-old and he completed his medical on Tuesday.
  
  Wenger had earlier revealed that Nasri would not be leaving the Emirates this transfer window but the playmaker became unsettled after hearing interest from Roberto Mancini’s side and a reported £180,000 a week wages.
  

• zocoss

  25 Aug 11, 11:11

   

  Arsenal icon Patrick Vieira lured Samir Nasri to Manchester City

  

  IT'S SMILES BETTER HERE ... Nasri's happy to join Man City after taking advice from former Gunner Vieira

   

   

   

   

  SAMIR NASRI has revealed how Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira persuaded him to quit Arsenal to join Manchester City.

  Vieira convinced Nasri that it was City who were the club on the up with Arsenal now in reverse.

  That was enough to convince the Frenchman, 24, that he had to turn his back on Arsene Wenger and fall into the arms of big-spending Roberto Mancini.

  Nasri said: "Patrick Vieira made a big difference. He's a legend and in France everyone loves and respects him.

  "When a player like this ? who has played for Arsenal, Inter Milan and Juventus ? tells you City is the place to be because they're the club of the future, they want to win everything and have a big project, you have to listen."

   

   

   

  

  ICON ... Vieira in his Arsenal days

   

   

   

   

  Advice from former Gunners Kolo Toure and Gael Clichy, who also made the switch from North London to the blue half of Manchester, also made Nasri sure he was doing the right thing.

  He said: "It's important to have advice from players who play with the club and know the club well and the difference between Arsenal and Manchester City. For me, they made a big difference."

  Vieira ended his City career last season but is still behind the scenes at the club.

  Wenger will not thank him for persuading Nasri to leave his sinking ship so soon after Cesc Fabregas joined Barcelona. But while Arsenal lose their best players, City simply add the best to their squad and now Nasri cannot wait to link up with the likes of Sergio Aguero and David Silva.

  He said: "They're big players. When you arrive at the club you want to play with big stars. "The first game Aguero played in, he scored two goals and made an assist. "I love that kind of player. They're like me ? quick feet, good technique and like to play.

  "When you play with guys like this you like to have a connection with them.

  "I've no doubt with them, Yaya, Dzeko, Carlos Tevez, if he stays ? I'm just happy to be there in the dressing room and can't wait to play with them."

  Nasri says in his home nation, France, City are already being compared to the Real Madrid set-up of a decade ago.

  He said: "In France they call City the Galactic like Real Madrid when Zinedine Zidane was there."

  Nasri is just frustrated he could not join the rest of the City stars at the start of the summer after making it clear to Wenger he wanted out.

  He said: "I was frustrated because I said to the manager I wanted to leave.

  "I wanted to do the pre-season with City so I could know my team-mates.

  "But today is a big day for me, it's a new start and I'm looking forward to it."

• dragg

  25 Aug 11, 11:40

  arsenal really jialat.

  its not like the club has no money.

• Susanteo2011

  25 Aug 11, 14:29

   

   

  Wenger trusted black players......................

   

  now kana play out by one.......................LOL

• Rock^Star

  25 Aug 11, 22:03

  Wah can't imagine cantona or keane playing Sir Alex out like that. What's wrong with these people. And the fella joins a new club only to say how inferior fans of his old club are, says a lot of the character.

• zocoss

  25 Aug 11, 23:05

  

  Samir Nasri: Arsenal fans lack passion

  

  PARTING SHOT ... Samir Nasri reckons Arsenal supporters need to show more passion

   

   

   

  SAMIR NASRI has delivered a stunning insult to Arsenal fans, telling them: You lack passion.

  Nasri, who turned his back on the Emirates to move to Manchester City yesterday in a £24million switch, said: "City fans are really passionate and it reminds me a little bit here of Marseille.

  Arsenal have good fans but they are not that passionate since they moved from Highbury to the Emirates.

  "I remember we played City in 2008 and lost 3-0 and the crowd was amazing. That is what I want.

  "You play football for a good atmosphere and in the stadium here it is unbelievable."

  Now Nasri, who must battle it out for a place in Roberto Mancini's midfield with a host of star names, wants to give those same City fans exactly what they crave this season.

  He added: "I'm here to play football, enjoy it and win the title."

• Rock^Star

  25 Aug 11, 23:12

  Originally posted by zocoss:

  
  You can blame him totally as it's more the board that should be blame on... They give him very little funds to spend each season and yet expect to continue doing well which they have under him... Not only do they refuse to pay bigger transfer fees, they also pay very low salaries compare to the others in the top level...

  If without Wenger and with their pay structure... chances are they may not make it into the CL every year... But this season, because of Liverpool's crazy spending... It has made it even more difficult for him to repeat what he has been doing these past few seasons, taking them into Europe on a tight budget and still getting the returns from it...

  Yeh but still, he's the man at the helm. It's his beliefs that ultimately lead the board into what he envisions for the club. Obviously, he believes very much in youth, maybe even secretly trying to emulate fergie.

• zocoss

  25 Aug 11, 23:21

  Actually City's squad till got room leh...

   

  English / Home Grown

  1 Joe Hart

  2 Stuart Taylor

  3 Joleon Lescott

  4 Micah Richards

  5 Wayne Bridge

  6 Gareth Barry

  7 Adam Johnson

  8 James Milner

  9 Shaun Wright-Phillips

  10 Craig Bellamy

   

  Foreigners

  1 Gunnar Nielsen

  2 Gaël Clichy

  3 Aleksandar Kolarov

  4 Vincent Kompany

  5 Kolo Touré

  6 Pablo Zabaleta

  7 Nigel De Jong

  8 David Silva

  9 Samir Nasri

  10 Yaya Touré

  11 Sergio Agüero

  12 Edin Dzeko

  13 Carlos Tévez

  14 Emmanuel Adebayor

  15 Roque Santa Cruz

   

   

   

  Stefan Savic

  Dedryck Boyata

  Mario Balotelli

   

• Susanteo2011

  25 Aug 11, 23:52

  Originally posted by Rock^Star:

  Wah can't imagine cantona or keane playing Sir Alex out like that. What's wrong with these people. And the fella joins a new club only to say how inferior fans of his old club are, says a lot of the character.

   

   

  blackies are like that one....................

   

  you see them poor thing and pity them..............

   

  they got money, they into drugs ,etc etc and get BIG-headed.............

   

  they have no loyalty to anyone or anything................

• mrwonderful

  26 Aug 11, 20:17

  its not black players. its frenchmen backstabbing each other. haha funny!

• Susanteo2011

  26 Aug 11, 20:28

   

  Viera is blackie lah.....................French in name only................

• zocoss

  27 Aug 11, 00:15

  Samir Nasri warns Manchester United of City threat

  

  N-N-N-N-N-NA 19 ... Samir Nasri shows off his new Manchester City shirt is reported to be on £180,000 a week wages.

   

  SAMIR NASRI reckons Manchester City pose the biggest threat to rivals United this season.

  The French ace, 24, snubbed a new contract at Arsenal to gain a mega-money move to the Etihad Stadium.

  But he insists his move is about winning trophies — not about the cash he will make with City.

  Nasri said: "People can think what they want but I made my choice and I know it's a choice about football.

  "We will see about that at the end of the season when we will lift a trophy.

  "We will talk about my choice then and I will show anyone who was thinking about money that they were wrong."

  Asked if he thought City were a bigger club than Arsenal, he added: "Now they have got the bigger squad and they won the FA Cup last year ahead of Arsenal.

  "The facts talk for Manchester City."

  On the race for the title, Nasri thinks City's bitter rivals United should watch their back.

  He added: "We are the biggest challenger for Manchester United.

• Rooney9

  27 Aug 11, 13:15

  Nasir is not in the same league as zidane or kaka for the matter. he has potential to be better, but certainly not in the same class as zidane.