Arsenal to offer Nasri new £110,000-a-week bumper deal

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By Mark Ogden

Despite the insistence of Arsene Wenger earlier this month that, 'One thing's for sure: we're not selling him (Nasri) to Manchester United,' Ferguson has become increasingly confident in his chances of prising Nasri from Arsenal.

With the player refusing to commit to a new contract at the Emirates, Arsenal risk losing the France international for nothing when his current deal expires next summer and United have been informed that Nasri is prepared to leave Arsenal for Old Trafford.

Wenger’s resistance to selling one of his best players to United, particularly if it coincides with the loss of captain Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona, is likely to provide a formidable obstacle to Ferguson’s attempts to sign Nasri.

Talks involving third parties linked to United and Nasri took place earlier this month and senior figures at Old Trafford believe that the economics of the deal, with Arsenal standing to receive a substantial fee for a player entering the final year of his contract, will ultimately prove decisive in their favour.

Manchester City are monitoring Nasri’s situation, with the former Marseille player listed as a secondary target should priority signings fail to arrive at Eastlands.

But with Arsenal due to report for pre-season training next Tuesday, United are ready to make their move in an effort to capitalise on the uncertainty surrounding the futures of both Nasri and Fabregas.

United took their summer spending to £49.8m by completing the £18.3m signing of Atletico Madrid goalkeeper David de Gea on Wednesday.

The Spain U21 keeper, who has yet to learn English, is set to make his debut against Seattle Sounders on July 20.

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Arsene Wenger is hoping Ivory Coast striker Gervinho can persuade Samir Nasri to stay at Arsenal.

The Gunners boss is facing a battle to prevent Nasri following Barcelona-bound Cesc Fabregas out of the Emirates' exit door.

The France midfielder, 24, who has one year left on his contract, is a target for Manchester United, and Sir Alex Ferguson is hoping to land him for around £12million.

But Arsenal have offered him a new, £90,000-a-week, five-year contract that would - after Fabregas’ move, which is likely to be completed this week - make him the highest-paid player at the club.

Arsenal don’t want to sell Nasri to one of their biggest title rivals but also don’t want him to run down his contract and lose him for nothing 12 months from now, so his new deal will include lucrative image rights and bonuses.

Wenger is also close to completing a £12million deal for Lille’s Ivory Coast striker Gervinho. That signing could help with Nasri, who has made it clear the Gunners must prove their ambition to convince him to stay.

Gervinho, who established himself as a major star at Lille last season, is rated highly by Nasri and the pair are pals.

It’s believed Gervinho – who is understood to have had a medical – received a glowing report on Arsenal from Nasri, which is also an encouraging sign.

Arsenal also plan to make another major statement of intent by pushing forward in a move for Bolton’s Gary Cahill.

The England centre-half is next on their hit-list and, if they can sell flop French defender Sebastien Squillaci, they will also pursue Blackburn's Chris Samba to replace him.

Arsenal are ready to throw Henri Lansbury and Ignasi Miquel into the deal for Cahill, with the Spanish defender set for a season-long loan.

That will be a major boost for the Gunners, who are set to lose Fabregas after Barca made a new offer for the Spain midfielder - as revealed in yesterday’s Mirror.

Fabregas has been offered a five-year contract worth £100,000-a-week at the Nou Camp in a deal laden with bonus clauses related to success.

Barca’s new offer is around £34, but Arsenal are still demanding closer to £40m. The clubs were locked in further talks last night.

Arsenal are resigned to losing their skipper but chief executive Ivan Gazidis is determined not to lose him on the cheap and will hold out for the higher fee.

Valencia’s Juan Mata could replace the Spaniard in Wenger's squad, but Spurs are also keen on the attacking midfielder.

Another part of Wenger’s masterplan could be to play Thomas Vermaelen at left-back to strengthen his defence, as Gael Clichy is set to leave for Liverpool.

Wenger hopes to have Cahill and Gervinho signed by the start of pre-season and that will help in the battle to keep Nasri.

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French fancy: Chelsea have registered their interest but Nasri is believed to favour a move to United

French fancy: Chelsea have registered their interest but Nasri is believed to favour a move to United

Chelsea have placed Samir Nasri on their list of potential targets after hints that he is ready to leave Arsenal this summer.

Nasri is in the final 12 months of his contract at the club and has rejected a five-year deal worth £90,000 a week, which has been on the table for months.

He will report for pre-season training next week, but his mind will be unsettled by the awareness that Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and others are all poised to swoop. Arsenal cannot compete with the player salaries on offer at the three rival English clubs.

Nasri can double Arsene Wenger's offer and pocket a healthy signing-on fee if an auction develops.

Wenger, though tempted to hang on to the France midfielder for a year before losing him on a free, will be reluctant to have an unhappy player at the club. He will assess Nasri upon his return on Thursday and decide whether Arsenal must cash in on a player who cost £15.8million three years ago.

The Arsenal boss would like to sell him abroad but Nasri, 24, is understood to favour a move to United.

Chelsea and City are battling Barcelona for Udinese winger Alexis Sanchez, but see Nasri as a viable alternative.

Roman Abramovich has his spies monitoring Nasri ahead of what one insider said will be 'a long summer'. Arsenal are in a state of flux.

Left back Gael Clichy is expected to rubber-stamp a £7m move to Manchester City on Monday, Galatasaray are chasing Andrey Arshavin for around £13.5m and Cesc Fabregas is likely to return to Barcelona.

Jack Wilshere yesterday said of Arsenal's unsettled stars: 'We want them to stay here, they are part of Arsenal. They're big players for the club.'

Sportsmail understands that the Gunners will step up their interest in £6m-rated Newcastle left back Jose Enrique to replace Clichy after refusing to meet Everton's £15m valuation of Leighton Baines.

And Wenger's £11m capture of Lille forward Gervinho is expected early next week. The Ivory Coast star, 24, believes he will 'fit in' at the club.

'I'm happy to have won all these trophies in France,' he said. 'I'm glad to have taken a route through the French league, but now I will go to London. It is a young squad and I can fit in nicely. I can develop there.'

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Top target: But Sir Alex Ferguson was beaten to Alexis Sanchez (No 12), pictured during a raining session as Chile prepare for the Copa America

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he was prepared to break a club record to take Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United.

The manager pulled out of a £35million move for the most coveted forward in the world after learning that United, Chelsea and Manchester City had been beaten to the Chilean by Barcelona, who will complete the signing of the brilliant South American next week.

But the disappointment at missing out on the Udinese forward to the Champions League winners so soon after they beat United at Wembley has only strengthened his resolve to add another big name player to his squad.

I understand Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder and Tottenham’s Luka Modric are still in his sights.

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On the move: Samir Nasri (right) has attracted interest from several Premier League clubs

Ferguson has already spent £50m on winger Ashley Young, defender Phil Jones and goalkeeper David de Gea as he rebuilds his title-winning team.

The Scot acted early in the transfer window and left United’s rivals in his wake, still shopping around with few signs of big business being completed as they return for pre-season training.

Arsenal’s Samir Nasri will be the next big move in the Premier League, with Ferguson believing the France midfielder will join Manchester City this week.

United’s supporters, who had feared that Ferguson’s spending was being capped by the club’s owners, the Glazer family, despite claiming a record 19th English league title last May, will have been reassured by his summer spending spree.

That theory has been shown to be false by the manager’s recent activity and will look even more hollow once he makes his next decisive move.

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The French midfielder, who is entering the final year of his contract, has been targeted by both Manchester clubs.

City are rumoured to be willing to double Nasri's salary while United boss Alex Ferguson is keen to land him.

Nasri told the News of the World: "Money has never been my motivation.

"I have always taken decisions from a football point of view.

"I don't want to sign for a club where I wouldn't be playing the football that I like, where I wouldn't feel happy, just for the sake of money.

"We already earn huge wages. The priority is to make a big career and to win titles.

"This is more important than everything else. I know the value and the meaning of money."

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The French midfielder is close to agreeing a £150,000-a-week deal as City step up their summer spending spree.

The move would be a massive blow to Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, who had hoped to sign Nasri himself.

City boss Roberto Mancini has told the club owners he needs five new faces before the start of the season.

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I dun understand how would joining City fulfill his ambition of winning trophy ?

Well... you will win 1 trophy in about a decade there but you will win constantly in United though.

Interesting decision...

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Wanted man: Samir Nasri (right) is the centre of a summer transfer sramble

Chelsea have launched a late bid to scupper Manchester City's £19million move for Samir Nasri.

The Arsenal midfielder has been at the centre of a three-way battle for his signature between Barclays Premier League giants Chelsea, City and Manchester United

City were confident that they had won the race, with the deal close to completion. But Chelsea are now bidding to tempt the Frenchman to make the move across London.

City wanted to grab Nasri just 24 hours after Carlos Tevez told Sportsmail of his wish to leave the club is also seen as an important moment for a club who will play in the Champions League for the first time this season.

After the signing of Gael Clichy for £7m earlier this week, Nasri's exit represents another serious loss for Arsenal to one of their Premier League rivals.

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Arsenal are to offer Samir Nasri a £110,000-a-week contract in a last-ditch bid to persuade the Frenchman to commit his future to the club, according to reports.

Nasri has so far refused to extend his current contract with the Gunners, which has one year left to run, amid relentless speculation linking him with Chelsea as well as both Manchester United and City. It's understood that the midfielder was the subject of a £20m verbal offer from United chief executive David Gill two weeks ago.

According to The Evening Standard, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is now prepared to make Nasri the highest-paid player at the Emirates in a repeat of the ploy that persuaded Cesc Fabregas to stay in North London last summer.

'Nasri refused to sign a five-year contract worth £90,000 a week earlier this year but Wenger is hoping a higher offer will make the midfielder change his mind,' reports the paper.

'It worked last summer when the Arsenal boss convinced captain Cesc Fabregas to ignore Barcelona's overtures by increasing his weekly pay to £110,000.

'Fabregas is still expected to join the Spanish giants before the start of the season but Wenger hopes a similar tactic will encourage Nasri to commit to the club.

'He has the option to offer the former Marseille star, who joined Arsenal for £15.8million in 2008, the same £110,000-a-week package, which is nearly double Nasri's current £60,000-a-week deal.'

Arsenal's wage policy has come under renewed criticism in recent days after it was reported that Nasri's current deal is on a par with those of Denilson and Abou Diaby.