Tag: nasri

Wenger thinks we can win it all next season!

On By jamesgillespIn Arsenal

Wenger has been quoted in the Daily Express. saying he thinks Arsenal can win silverware next season

“I think we can win everything. We are very, very close,”

“Now that the Champions League final has become an FA Cup final the team who is very strong in England has a good chance to win the European Cup. The Premier League title goes down to one game, won or lost.”

“I believe overall quality, going forward, we were the best team in the League. However, Arsenal conceded 10 more goals than the others and that made the difference.

“It’s very difficult to take a perspective in what people expected from us at the start of the season, and the fact we are disappointed for not winning the championship.

“We have done beyond expectation, but, as well, we are disappointed beyond expectation as we have not won the championship. But we feel we are very, very close.”

I’ve said before on this blog that we were amazing going forward this season, it was just defensive frailties that let us down. That was what cost us everything in the end.

Wenger should look at signing someone to bolster the defence before he goes for players like Nasri or Ben Arfa, as tantalising as Gooners do find them.

Wenger remphasizes what Pat Rice said a few days ago, last season we exceeded expectations and next season we will be back better and stronger.

Nasri – Will Arsenal ever sign him?

On By jamesgillespIn Transfers26 Comments

Last week Wenger said that there was a good chance Nasri would be an Arsenal player before the Euros kick off.

We still have a week to see if that is actually the case. I’d like to point out that no matter how much speculation there is, until its a done deal its not a done deal, no amount of hype will make this fact.

Basically everyone is bored on the football front and every tiny quote is analysed in detail in the hope that we can glean a minute detail of information.

So after all the talk we have another quote from Le Boss, talking on French radio RMC:

“Nasri, he interests me, 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.“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.”

What we know – Arsene is interested in Nasri and would like to sign him.

What we can guess – Arsenal have been talking to the player and are currently negotiating a deal.

What we hope – That Nasri signs up.

I wouldn’t be too hopeful of signing him anytime soon. Really I’d prefer it if we just heard nothing until it actually happened.

Translated quote: Setanta Sports

Wenger and Ribery say Nasri will sign

On By jamesgillespIn Transfers6 Comments

Wenger said on Telefoot that we are probably going to sign Nasri

“It is likely to happen, and if it does happen, it will be before the start of the European Championship.”

Ribery backed this up here

“It’s good for him. This is a good club with a lot of young players, but the English Premier League is completely different, difficult to adapt to.

“It is a pity that Samir left Marseille, he’s been there all of his footballing career. But it was important for him to see something else.”

So still nothing totally conclusive, but I think we will get this chap now. He has been the only thing the press are talking about now, compared to a few weeks ago when we were linked with everyone and anyone!

Samir Nasri signs for Arsenal

On By jamesgillespIn Arsenal6 Comments

Samir Nasri will play for Arsenal next season according to L’Equipe. He should be signing his contract today.

Marseilles and Arsenal have apparently agreed on a transfer fee of 15 million Euros. Nasri, has been at Marseilles for four years, this season he has had viral meningitis, but is a top quality player.

If we have got him he will be an excellent addition to the squad. Probably playing on the wing in the style of Hleb or Rosicky. Just better hopefully!

To read the L’Equipe article click here.

Update: 12.47 pm. The Independent says here that he was in London for a medical last night.

Update: 16.50 – It seems Nasri is in Clairefontaine with the French Squad, no news on the transfer front…

Arsenal bid for Nasri not final/transfer rumours

On By jamesgillespIn Transfers1 Comment

Samir Nasri’s agent Jean-Pierre Bernès, has said that no deal has been finalised for Nasri to join Arsenal.

“”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, but there are other offers on my desk”

This comes from the French Eurosport website, here. I think a transfer is likely, he’s a top French winger, about 20 years old. I hear that he would fit in well with Arsenal’s style.

We have apparently signed Francis Coquelin from Stade Lavallois, he’s a French U-17 international who was on trial with us earlier this season, there’s nothing official, but Stade Lavallois released this statement:

“The truth of the moment it that Francis Coquelin is free.

“Nothing more links him with MFC, as a consequence his future club have no obligation to pay an education fee.”

So wiating for an update on that one, but it seems a done deal.

We may also be set to sign another young Frenchman, Clement Chantome, a 22 year old midfielder playing for PSG, World of Arsenal says he is in the mould of Didier Deschamps.

Finally, Carlos Vela has his work permit and will join the rest of the Arsenal squad for pre-season training at the end of the summer. His agent said:

“He has his work permission so Carlos will be joining Arsenal in July to begin pre-season work.”

Nasri on his way to the Arse for £13 million?

On By jamesgillespIn Transfers

More and more speculation in the papers about who we’re going to sign. Nasri is a name which is coming up quite a lot.

Nasri is 20 and won the Young Player of the Season Award last year in Ligue 1. He has a buy-out clause of €17m (£13.5m).

Apparently representatives of Arsenal and Marseilles have been talking and it’s likely that he will join us. Nasri did say that on Saturday he might have played his last game for Marseilles.

He is our sort of player, fast, agile with good passing skills, he could replace Hleb. The only problem is that he isn’t that experienced, and is a little weak. But when has that stopped Wenger before!

Two which I don’t think will happen are Frey and Aquilani, these are both just randoms I guess. Aquilani isn’t a likely target, and Wenger won’t be signing a keeper I don’t think.

Arsenal transfer update: In for Nasri or Ben Arfa?

On By jamesgillespIn Transfers2 Comments

Arsenal are rumoured to be making a move for 21 year old French International Samir Nasri.

He has just signed a new long-term contract at Marseille, but apparently that the deal was only made to settle a transfer protocol.

Now there doesn’t seem to be much substance to this, I think Ben Arfa is more likely to come in. The rumour mill seems to have gone into overdrive.

His agent said:

“As soon as the season is over, we will discuss with Samir, about his future, and we will plan all the solutions,”

“There are offers, that is the truth, but for the moment nothing is decided.”

He is a player I would like to see at Arsenal, but I think it is unlikely. Nevertheless it a possibility, Goonertalk says here that the player may have played his last match at Marseilles, so he is going somewhere!