"Don't worry son, we can still skype each other"
If reports are to be believed it’s now only a matter of hours before Samir Nasri joins Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor at Manchester City.
The French midfielder will be heading to Eastlands for a fee of around £25 million and wages of £160k a week according to the majority of reports.
Earlier this Summer it looked as though United were going to secure Nasri’s services with Arsenal even claiming the Reds were the first club -and only club- to make a bid. Talks were supposedly held between representatives of the club and the player but never really got off the ground. It wasn’t long before City entered the fray and United dropped out. A few weeks ago Sir Alex Ferguson pointed out that he felt Nasri would either join City or stay at Arsenal, meaning the chances of him coming to Old Trafford seemed to have evaporated.
It’s obvious that United simply weren’t willing to meet the players wage demands while City had no such qualms, the question is did we do the right thing or should we have paid the Frenchman the money he wanted?
The most obvious point to be raised is whether United truly need him. There’s no denying he’s a good player, but would he elevate our team or simply add to the depth of the squad?
Last season was Nasri’s true breakthrough year, although he’d been at Arsenal since 2008 and had enjoyed the ocasional highs- not least a brace against us in his debut season, it wasn’t until 2010 that he really floursihed. Ten Premier league goals in just 28 starts, is a record most strikers would be proud of let alone a winger/attacking midfielder such as Nasri.
Then there’s the quality of some of his strikes, with the goals against Porto in the Champions League and Fulham being simply breathtaking.
It wasn’t a wholly convincing season for Nasri though, after all of the 16 goals he scored, by New Year’s Day he’d scored 13 of them. The back end of last season saw a dip in form, at a time when Arsenal needed him the most. There’ also Nasri’s lack of assists, he only had one to his name last season, which isn’t really good enough for an attacking player- especially when you’ve got the likes of Robin Van Persie and Cesc Fabregas alongside you.
Would Nasri get into United’s starting XI? Probably, but only as a rotational player, I’m confident that if Sir Alex was asked to pick his strongest side then Nasri wouldn’t be part of it. Let’s not forget, Nani, Ashley Young, Ji Sung Park, Tony Valencia and Wayne Rooney can all play in similar positions to Nasri. Then there’s the emergence of Tom Cleverley, regular readers of this site will know that I’m a massive fan of his and truly believe he’s a future United star in the making. Do we really need to be jettisoning a player that’s shown he’s now ready for the first team after coming through the ranks in favour of a big money highly paid signing, I think not.
Nasri’s Premier league experience could have been useful, plus there’s no denying that on his day he can be a truly mesmerising player. However as Sir Alex looks to the future, Manchester United have a great young squad, that’s perhaps one holding midfielder away from being able to challenge Barcelona, Nasri would be a good addition but not a great one.
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I can not help noticing the nonsense on blaming him leaving Arsenal for money. Professional soccer is a money making business and players are only employees being paid by the club. Almost any one of us here if offered a job paying 3 times more than our existing salary by a financially secure company would leave in a heart-beat, though there may be rare exceptions to the rule. You think if United had not pumped up Rooney’s salary, he would be still playing for United out of loyalty. And the same goes for Clubs, look how Arsenal treats its players’ contract when they hit 30. It is not that clubs or players are not loyal, it is the money at the end of the day.
Absolutely not
all these jealous muppets on here cos CITY have cash now to spend makes you laugh man ushited “rags” have been spending big for years and arsenal have been doing the same and the rags used to be the club spending big wages on players now its city doing it they dont like it how much is the fat bald false hair twat on is it £250000 a week at debt ridden united all the players joining city are joining for the future of the club not the money
what are all you shitty fans going on about debt ridden united 19 TIMES CHAMPIONS debt ridden united,the debt will be gone in the new year. billions of pounds at city and cant even keep scarface happy, so lets all give a big wave to carlos.
Damn you’re right. How will we ever replace him. Oh, hang on…
“the debt will be gone in the new year.” Can you explain how that’s going to happen when they can’t even seem to pay off the interest?? Please…i’m curious as i’m sure so many others are.
jason blue firstly your an idiot and secondly what do you think the glazers are selling shares for you freakin muppet man you are probably one of those city fans that think your clubs all that for winning the fa cup… well think again you really need to take a long hard look at where city is going and my guess is a year without a trophy MUFC FOR LIFE YEAH!!!
All I have to say is that you are a perfect fan Justin. Im reading your comments that you have said to people and you really stick to your guns. I respect you for that. I hope most United fans will have faith in the squad just like you because we will need it this year. I didnt think of the Nasri situation like you but after you put it like that I must say I do agree with what you are saying. I agree that Cleverly is absolutely amazing. Ever since I saw him a few years ago I knew he would shine. This is his year. Long live United!
It’s amusing reading and hearing supporters attempting to make us ashamed of the fact we’ve been able to spend. Does anyone seriously think it would ever have been possible for any team to break the top 4 cartel without serious outside investment? Maybe 10 years ago but now it just would never have happened. Even Spurs finishing in the top 4 came off the back of serious investment that eclipsed ours during the season we were taken over, and was very significant the season before. I’m not sure where Levy magic-ed up that cash but that’s the reason they propelled themselves up there.
The whole concept of level playing field is bogus; United, Arsenal and Liverpool in particular, i.e the already more wealthy than everyone else, found themselves in the fortunate position of being able to take advantage of the Sky wealth in the early nineties. And build on it. Of course United and especially Ferguson deserve special credit being the most successful manager of my generation. Would Fergie have been able to do the same thing at, say, Villa if he’d joined them at the same time? Maybe but I doubt it.
Besides what happened with Sky allowing the rich to go stellar rich, it’s not a scientifically verifiable level playing field anyway as some clubs have inside investment, or more inside investment than others and/or an ability to get a larger overdraft – giving them an unfair advantage.
Maybe our bubble will burst – maybe I’ll get sick of just how much money is now at the heart of the game that used to have a greater connection to the common man. I don’t know. For now though I can tell you all that it’s amazing to see thrilling players in the blue shirt. And I’m loving every moment of it.
Everton, Villa, Newcastle etc would all love for the same thing to happen to them.
Off topic: associating us with Chavs is also rich. United have always been the team that Chavs gravitate towards because they don’t have the wit to support a team that doesn’t win things. There’s one on the Evening News tonight with a nicked pair of trainers in his hand. Of course there’s loads of decent, proper football supporters in Manchester that do support United.
Sir Alex did brilliantly last season, getting the best out of a thin squad and winning the league. All the pundits are saying the same again this year. But can we be so sure? There is one big change this year: the goalkeeper. Judging by the first two games, this young lad is nothing compared to Van de Saar. Sir Alex might have succeeded last year with a thin squad in front of VDS. But a thin squad in front of De Gea is a completely different story. And that is just what we might see this year, a different story.
De Gea is half Van de Saar’s age! 3 mistakes in 2 games that we won and everyone is saying how he’s cracking under the pressure. You forget the amazing save De Gea made off Paul Scharner moments before West Brom scored? And it wasn’t exactly a world ending error when they did he just didn’t get down quick enough. And against City the first goal could be put down to David Silva’s pin point delivery the second may have been rubbish but he still made to great saves late on to deny Richards and Johnson! He’s more then shown he is capable of filling Van de Saar’s gloves or dear i say it in the near future maybe even eclipsing him..
Its interesting how when the sheikh wasnt there city tried to make themselves out to be the poor man’s club and had a go at man utd for buying their success. Now that city have got money they’re suddenly gloating to us!!! A bit hypocritical dont u think????? Lol at the guy who said City are guaranteeing titles, theyv spent half a billion quid in around 3 years and got an FA Cup. Nowhere near a club that are guaranteed trophy winners….
As for Nasri, i would have agreed until i saw how well cleverly has progressed. Plus we have a mancunian boy born and bred in the shape of Welbeck who could also play in the advanced midfield position Nasri plays in. So all in all, its not really much of a loss :), we’ll cope without him.
Cheers Aneeq, you saved me the bother of typing it
Thank you Anneeq! The other hypocracy that drives me nuts is City’s “we’re the true club of Manchester and United’s fans are glory hunters from outside”. Even if there was truth to that (probably not), how do City fans imagine their club will have any hope in hell of meeting financial fair play? Will that be by generating billions of dollars from a few thousand City fans strictly from Manchester?
Of course you could poke holes through this mentality from the basic fact that their financial backing derives from oil thousands revenues held by a royal family based thousands of miles from Manchester; but searching for logic from City fans is a wasted venture isn’t it?
Lets get one thing straight, three top managers rate Samir Nasri very highly indeed as a player and as an investment.
One – Sir Alex Ferguson – tried to sign him earlier in the summer, backed off for reasons undisclosed.
Two – Arsene Wenger – doing his absolute, level best to retain his services, even if it means letting him go for nothing at the end of this season, foregoing a twenty million pound plus payday this month.
Three – Roberto Mancini – willing to spend over twenty million pounds for a player one year left on his contract to sign him up.
Are all three of these respected managers wrong?
Do you lot know better?
Answers on the back of a postage stamp please.
According to the reports United apparently never talked to Nasri or made an offer. Not saying he is a bad player or that United wasnt interested but thought I would throw that possibility out there.
Don’t think there was actually any statement from fergie saying he was interested in him. Think it was Evra giving digs about going to united if he wanted to win trophies.
As for Arsenal and City wanting him, they are in direct competition for 4th place therefore he could be the tipping point in gaining CL football and not.
Although I hear today that Nasri told friends he’d still rather go to united even if the wages were smaller.
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/08/19/2626638/arsenals-samir-nasri-wanted-to-join-manchester-united
Samir Nasri is a good player but I don’t think he is worth pushing the boat out for. I mean for Man City its nothing, but paying £185,000.00 a week is a commitment for most teams. He had a very good first half of last season, but in general he is inconsistent. He went missing towards the end of last season like the other Arsenal players.
If Man Utd are going to invest heavy in a player then he needs to be really special. A player that is likely to lift the team as a whole and motivate them, especially the young players we have. In truth the player I’m thinking is Wesley Sneijder. He is probably worth the time and investment because he would really improve our team. He would also bring that buzz to the club, players and fans that you want for the kind of money being spent.
exactly, no player coming to the club should be offered more than our club captain (Except 2 or 3 players in the world) which is what, 115k r so? Nasri would be a squad player at united and city also, so to offer the wages mentioned is ludicrous. He’s a decent player who would be a started in most teams in the league, but he’s not a fabregas, a rooney, a Silva.
So I’m not going to get into the sniping and bitching…. Nasri is a great addition to City ! Why ? Because he is a counter-attack midfield who can break at pace and create chances… At Eastlands team sit deep on us so we have tomplay a different game but away from eastlands the team has to be more counter attack minded… Any City fan will also tell you that a serious weak point is Silva (in that he is the creative heartbeat, if he’s injured then we willmbe severely weakened)… Would Nasri be a quality signing for United ??? Like the blog post I’m not sure as I imagine Shrek could drop deep and fulfil that role for you and it looks as if ferguson will put his faith in cleverley…. Final point £20m+ doesn’t worry me in the slightest, we can afford it and to risk picking him next year on a free will be fool hardy (a classic example of this is De Jong – who we purchased in similar circumstances and for me would be in the top 5 of city players in the squad)