Arsenal's bid to sign Samir Nasri has been put on hold,
while Alex Hleb is reportedly set to join Barcelona this
week.
The Gunners have been pursuing Nasri since the end of the season
and it was claimed last week that they had in fact signed the
Marseille playmaker for £12m. However, even though a deal between
the two clubs has been agreed, it now appears that the Gunners have
been unable to finalise terms with the player.
"Nasri, he interests me," Arsene Wenger is quoted as saying by
The Daily Telegraph. "I hope I will do it after the Euros. It is
more complicated now because the wage differences are not as big as
they used to be. Just look at Karim Benzema. He is 20 and recently
signed a new deal with Lyon.
"England is considered one of the two top leagues and the best
players want to play against the best players."
The implication that Arsenal have once again lost out due to
their notoriously strict wage structure is unlikely to placate the
club's supporters who were promised a major signing within weeks of
the season ending. Nor are they likely to be impressed by reports
that Hleb - who Nasri was earmarked to replace - is leaving for
riches elsewhere.
The Telegraph claims that 'Barcelona are expected to confirm
Hleb's arrival at the Nou Camp in the next few days, having beaten
off competition from Spanish rivals Real Madrid, as well as Jose
Mourinho's new club, Inter Milan.'