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.”
