We’ve finally signed Samir Nasri! 11 July, 2008
Posted by lasagnechef in Arsenal News.trackback
It’s been the longest transfer ever but we’ve finally got our man. Samir Nasri has agreed to join us from Marseille. Back at the end of last season Wenger said we could expect a signing within a couple of weeks, which was going to be Nasri. Then excuse after excuse came and it was the most tedious signing in history.
I should be looking at Arsenal.com this morning excited about our new player and wondering how he’ll do for us, but the fact is we all knew he was signing a long, long time ago. I’m just glad it’s finally sorted now, it was getting to that stage where I thought it was just never going to happen.
He does sound a good player though. He was voted Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year for in 2007 and was also Marseille’s Player of the Year that season. The fee is undisclosed, as per usual, but back at the end of May the sum of £13m was being reported so I’m getting we’ve paid a decent amount of money for him.
He’s 21, and was one of the young stars in France and certainly at Marseille. He hasn’t quite broken into the France national side yet, he only played twice, as a sub in Euro 2008 but I’m sure he’ll be very much pat of their future plans.
Here’s what the manager and the player had to say:
Arsène Wenger:
“We are delighted to be signing Samir Nasri. He is young, quick and technically an outstanding player. He has shown great potential with his performances for Marseille and the French national team over the past two seasons and he will add great quality to our squad.”Samir Nasri:
“I’m very happy to become an Arsenal player, it means such a lot to me. This is a very important step in my life as a football player because Arsenal is a massive club. I really hope everything will go well for me here. I will do my best for Arsenal and its fans and I am honoured to be part of such a great football club.”
Nasri will wear the no.8 shirt and joins up with the team for the first time on 21st July for pre-season training.
Kerrea Gilbert has joined Leicester on loan. The young defender will be there for the duration of the season. Will we see him back? Who knows, I did think highly of him but we all know how difficult it is to break into the side at Arsenal. Good luck Kerrea.
That’s about it for today. There are other bits about but nothing worth talking about really. Hleb says he doesn’t like London.
Right I’m off now. Happy Friday everyone.
good news
Typical Wenger – picks some bloke we have never heard of and that has tons of talent and potential. Another “uncut diamond” from “left field” – bet no-one ever saw this one coming
Does anyone else ever so slightly like its a bit of a total anti – climax ? Good lucl to the guy and I thnk he will replace Hleb and cannot possibly be so infuriatingly shy of shooting and just as skilful on the ball with more end product. Now get rid of Ade and goodbye fand thanks for the memories Gilberto. Get Huntelaar and a decent DM ( apparantly according to a Portugese journalist I heard interviwede the other day Veloso isn’t quite as much the finished article as we might need )
Is it just the fact that Diaby looks like PV4 that a lot of Gooners think he will BE the next PV4 – I think should be given a chance so good luck if that happens
“new” signings – Nasri / Vela / Ramsey/ Rosicky / Van Persie – add those lot into the end of last season and things would have looked rosier
Lets just get some defensive “muscle” at DM and CB
Still found myself excited by the news of his signing, good it’s finally done. Club can concentrate on others now. What do people think of Goucruff plus money for Ade? I say it would be ok, but I’d still fleece them for about £25m. Goucruff isn’t worth more than about £6m to me.
Gourcuff is not what we need. We have enough playmakers, we need to add steel in the middle and at the back. How many years are we going to have to watch the best defensive team win the league before it sinks it.
WHOOPDIE DO.
The only good thing is we won’t be linked with bloody Nasri anymore. I was really, REALLY bored of hearing his name.
The signing is a total anti-climax.
ooh samir nasri….
Things aint so bad afterall. Let those muppets at milan and barca shell out stupid money for average players, hleb had his moments and adebeyor scored the odd cracker but neither are worth the money we are being offered. Flamini will be lucky to get a game. There is not one single player that has left arsenal and gone on to better things since arsene has been in charge and things wont change with the departure of this bunch of desperados!
COME ON YOU GUNNERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRS!!!!
everone should cheer up a bit, we’ve got a great young squad and a top 4 finish is going to be a distinct possibility. As for winning the league………………. no chance with this squad.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Finally he’s here!
What a great signing, he won’t replace Hleb, he’ll be a lot better.
I sort of agree with Alan, the best defensive team will always pick up points, but if you dont also have a great attacking team then you will only be picking up a point a game.
I am not really that excited about Nasri (due to never seeing him play) but this dosnt make him a bad player – I am concerned that he has played most of his career just behind the main striker and has only scored a handful of goals in over 130 games and he has been playing in a league that is not considered as good as ours. He sounds like he could be another Hleb – passing great, shooting poor.
Adebayor leaving will hit us hardest as if we fail to bring in a direct replacement then we not only resduce the quality of the squad, but also have to change the way we play as there will no longer be a great big lad up front who can do what he has done over the last 9 months (please dont try to compare Bendtner to him).
Like others, I can`t get that excited about a player we were on the point of signing two months ago; but at least Hleb can sod off now. The main problem is to get a top class proven goalscorer, (not the likes of Martins), in to replace Adebayor if he goes; only then will I feel confident we can mount a credible title challenge next season.
The defence will always be a weakpoint so long as Senderos is allowed anywhere near it, but at least Wenger is now talking of our lumpen lad in terms of being good cover rather than a furure rock.
I reckon we have to look at the basic maths on this one. Nasri looks a good signing and the one to replace Hleb if he goes. Almost everyone bemoaned the lack of squad depth last year as we lost out on the title and were overtaken by the scum and the chavs. If Adebayor goes that still leaves minus 2 including Flamini. We would need another Striker, a defensive/ball winner midfielder + the squad players we lacked last year. We may get lucky and get the full season out of RVP and the little mozart, Diaby, Walcott and Vela may prove to be world beaters or does Arsene have a trick or two up his sleeve?
Keep the faith,
Up the Arse!
Ade will never leave if wenger doesn’t have a replacement that he’s sure to get.
I saw nasri play quite a lot last year, trust me that we should be excited about signing this player this easy (meaning he’s never really been linked with any other team). Wenger is the deciding factor I reckon. Next hleb? Nah. Next pires maybe.
i think he’s a good signing for arsenal he w’ll give a lot to the fans. good luck to him.