AN ARTICLE BY David Hyter in this morning’s Guardian suggests that Arsenal’s versatile midfielder, Samir Nasri, could soon be free to discuss personal terms with Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City.
It appears that Arsene Wenger’s oft-stated determination to keep the Frenchman from leaving Emirates Stadium, in spite of the latter’s refusal to sign a contract extension, has softened significantly with yesterday’s signing of Southampton’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has made no secret of his admiration for Nasri and the club, it appears, would be willing to nearly double the value of the midfielder’s current £90,000-per-week contract. If the deal is to go ahead, however, the Manchester club would expected to part with somewhere in the region of £25m.
Should Nasri decide to part ways with the Arsenal, the move is likely to take its toll on squad morale.
“Nasri has told team-mates that he is relaxed about whether he stays or goes this summer but his conviction to leave has hardened in recent days and the situation has fuelled the feeling of unease behind the scenes at the London club.“Some of the squad have been demoralised by the Cesc Fábregas saga. The club captain is more intent than ever to return to Barcelona yet he remains at the club and with the armband.”
Earlier in the summer, while on tour in Malaysia, Arsene Wenger explained his refusal to countenance the loss of both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri on the grounds that it would fatally undermine Arsenal’s claim to “big club” status, “because a big club holds on to its big players and gives a message to all the other big clubs that they cannot come in and take them away from you.”
Even if the moves don’t go ahead as expected, the very threat of the club losing its two star performers is likely to cast a pall over preparations for Saturday’s season-opening clash with Newcastle United.
