Official : Nasri seals move to Arsenal

last SG · 2008-07-11T16:48:14+00:00

Nice la.. Great capture Arsenal. BPL will be interesting to watch. ;)

glacer SG

The French international, hailed by many as the new Zinedine Zidane, has been linked with a move to the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus over the past two years.

He has continued to impress during his side's fleeting appearances in Europe but, despite signing a contract extension just weeks ago, looks set to leave the club this summer.

The signs were ominous on the final league day of the season, when the midfielder himself said it could be his last game for the club.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has time and time again insisted that big players will be sought after ahead of big names. Nasri is somewhat a combination of both.

Though he may not be a household name just yet, his association with Zidane in itself has sent his market value sky-rocketing. La Provence contends that the Gunners, notoriously cautious in their transfer dealings, will have to shell out €17 million (which comes to approximately £13.5 million) to land the player. Arsenal were prepared to pay £10m initially, and have since improved their offer. Though it has not been accepted, an agreement is said to be close.

now this is good news

the Bear SG

uhh.. they already have a playmaker in Fabregas...

thongs SG

steady la, we dont need any defensive midfielder, since we are playing attacking football. 2 attacking midfielder ftw!

Trump_Card SG

The 20-year-old has established himself as one of the hottest prospects in Europe over the past few seasons and has been heavily linked with the Gunners in recent weeks.

Marseille-based newspaper La Provence reported last week that Nasri was on the verge of agreeing a ₤12.5 million move to the Emirates, and French daily L’Equipe has claimed the playmaker will travel to London to undergo a medical and agree personal terms.

The Algerian-descended playmaker only recently signed a new contract designed to keep him at Stade Velodrome until 2012, but it has since emerged the deal includes a release clause set at around ₤12 million.

Nasri is expected to replace the unsettled Aleksandr Hleb, who has received strong interest from Inter Milan and has recently been linked with Barcelona.

Gunner boss Arsene Wenger is likely to install Nasri on either flank, continuing his tradition of converting natural playmakers into wide midfielders, as he has done with the likes of Hleb, Tomas Rosicky and Robert Pires.

Nasri is expected to arrive in London in the morning, and will meet with Arsenal officials to agree personal terms before undergoing a medical at Shenley.

He will then be taken on a tour of the Emirates Stadium, and have his picture taken for the club’s official website, before flying out around 7:30pm to hook up with France national team in Clairefontaine for their pre-EURO 2008 training camp.

Damn ... I hope this is true !

gasband SG

Oh no....Barcelona just bought Samir Nasir....

In my football manager 2008...thats it...

thongs SG

=/ can dont scare ppl?

glacer SG

Marseille-based newspaper La Provence reported last week that Nasri was on the verge of agreeing a ₤12.5 million move to the Emirates, and French daily L’Equipe even went as far as claiming that the highly promising playmaker was due to travel to London to undergo a medical and agree personal terms yesterday.

"We are not in a hurry. It is true that we are examining an offer from Arsenal, which is interesting for Samir Nasri from a sporting point of view," said his agent Jean-Pierre Bernes.

"But I have also received other offers."

The 20-year-old French international has established himself as one of the hottest prospects in Europe over the past few seasons and has emerged as Arsene Wenger's top transfer priority.

Trump_Card SG

Nasri's agent taking us for suckers . He must be trying to grab Real Madrid or richer clubs' attention .

glacer SG

Marseille daily La Provence is reporting that the deal will be finalised "at the start of next week" after intense speculation over the past fortnight linking the player with a big money move.

It s thought the midfield maestro will cost the Gunners £11-13 million, having just recently signed a contract extension with l'OM, which many believed would keep him at the club for at least another year.

He has in the past been likened with the great Zinedine Zidane and, fittingly, courted by Zizou's two most prominent former clubs, Juventus and Real Madrid. However, speculated interest never materialised into a formal offer from either side, and Arsenal, who have had more tenuous and less publicised links with the player, look like the club who will make the swoop this summer.

Nasri's agent has confirmed that talks are in progress with the London club, but reports emerged yesterday hinting that the 20-year-old was in no hurry to leave his hometown club.

The press has been persistent in pushing this deal as final, but now the saga may finally be coming to an end, and Arsenal making the big-money signing that the fans had been calling for.

It is thought that Marseille will use the money generated from the Nasri transfer to finance a move for Lyon winger Hatem Ben Arfa - who was also linked with Arsenal - who, despite looking set to leave the seven-time Ligue 1 winners, will not be leaving his native France...

Trump_Card SG

Dammit ... Hleb has left ... How long are we going to wait for our first major signing ?

felirox SG

Good things must wait!

Trump_Card SG

Skarli other clubs like Real Madrid come in with a late bid ... Remember Baptista and Ribery ?

cApitaland SG

so how confirm anot. so exciting!

Trump_Card SG

Knn ... The first time I saw the article I was so excited I creamed my pants . This guy is a football genius . Then the frigging agent says "No so fast" ... wtf

felirox SG

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is hopeful Marseille hero Samir Nasri will sign before Euro 2008 starts.

The France international’s name has been at the top of The Gunners’ shopping list over the past two weeks and it appears the playmaker will be transferred from L’OM before June 7.

Wenger is a massive admirer of his fellow countryman, who has a certain experience of international and Champions League football having made his debut at the age of 17.

Wenger is adamant an agreement could be reached in the very near future, and even before the European Championships start.

“It has chances to happen,” he said about Nasri’s move to Emirates Stadium during the Sunday TV show Telefoot on Tf1.

“And if it happens, it will be before the start of Euros.”

WOW!!!Le boss hinting already!!

a-Lost-9uY SG

his name like our former national CPT Nasri le

BrUtUs SG

hope the deal done soon...

glacer SG

Samir Nasri tonight confirmed to French radio station RTL that his transfer to English giants Arsenal is progressing “normally” and the deal should be concluded over the course of the next few days.

Arsenal appear to be linked with every hot young French talent however it appears that there was substance in the rumours that Nasri's could move to north London.

Nasri's interview with RTL was the first time that he has spoken of his move to the Gunners, who he is “99% certain” of joining in time for the start of next season.

The saga started immediately after the final game of the season, a dramatic victory over Strasbourg, when Nasri hinted that it would be his last for Marseille. Speculation that the talented creative midfielder would move to Arsenal was fuelled by his agent and finally the deal is close to being closed.

Marseille's brightest prospect had a highly effective performance in yesterday's 2-0 victory over Ecuador with the French national side, linking well with Nicolas Anelka and Bafetimbi Gomis to act as a catalyst for the opening goal.

Raymond Domenech elected to keep the 20 year-old in his 30 man squad on the back of this showing and other impressive performances towards the end of a season that Nasri helped guide Marseille to third spot in the French league and therefore a potential Champions League berth.

Nasri will turn 21 during the European Championships and will wish to celebrate his birthday with an appearance in the final with les Bleus.

glacer SG

The top rated French playmaker is reportedly close to agreeing a £12.5 move to from Fiorentina, and the talks are apparently so advanced that some news publications in England claimed that the deal was already finalised earlier this week.

That is definitely not the case yet , however, and Wenger has warned not to expect any new developments until after the European Championship.

“Nasri, he interests me,” Wenger confirmed to a French reporter.

“I hope I will do it after the Euros.

“It is more complicated now because the wage differences [between the French and the English league] are not as big as they used to be.

“Just watch [Karim] Benzema. He is 20 and recently signed a new deal," he added.

“It is very difficult [to transfer players from the French league] but England is considered one of the two top leagues and the best players want to play against the best players.”

bryanw SG

another french l** ** ** player as usual. can join forces with wenger back him cos all french. then when arsenal fail to win trophies the players all support wenger make him seem as though a very successful manager. but actually nothing but another ******.