Wenger reveals reasons for Nasri departure
Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, has stated that Samir Nasri left the club for ‘financial and psychological reasons’.
The French international trained on Tuesday morning, unbeknown to the fact that Wenger had already agreed a £24m fee with Manchester City.
The sum includes a £2m fee that will be paid to Nasri’s agent, a number which was thought to be the breaking point in the deal over the weekend, but was resolved.
The Gunners were thought to be prepared to play the 24 year-old in tonight’s European tie against Udinese, thus cup-tying him and making a move to Manchester City far less likely.
However, with only a year left on Nasri’s contract, it’s apparent that Stan Kroenke, owner of the North London club, was a supporter of the deal, believing it to be bad business to let the playmaker leave on a free transfer next summer.
Wenger commented on the transfer, saying: “I am a realist so I have no illusions. It’s part of the modern life of a professional football player. It’s not that by coincidence that everybody suddenly lands at Man City.”
The Frenchman added: “We did not want to lose Fabregas, but we were forced into a situation we didn’t want. Nasri is a situation where the player didn’t want to extend his contract with the proposals he had somewhere else. What kind of commitment can you have when the player is not there long-term? That is the question you have to answer.”
