Samir Nasri says Kroenke forced Arsenal to sell

[kiwomya]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... an-kroenke

Samir Nasri has claimed Arsène Wenger was forced to sell him to Manchester City in the summer of 2011 by the club's owner, Stan Kroenke. The Frenchman, who moved to City in a £24m move, also rejected Roberto Mancini's suggestion that he has been training at only "50%" this season.

Speaking on beIN Sport, a French TV station, Nasri said: "I don't regret leaving Arsenal. I won the league while Arsenal have difficulty finishing fourth."

His claim that Wenger had to listen to offers for him due to pressure from Kroenke directly contradicts the Arsenal manager's repeated stance that he is in sole control of transfers at the club and that he is not working under any financial constraints. "Wenger told me that, if Cesc [Fàbregas] left, I would stay but Kroenke wanted the money. The coach told me we'll only take Gervinho, Cesc was already gone, I had only one year left so I decided to leave," Nasri said. Gervinho joined the same summer in which Nasri and Fàbregas, who went to Barcelona, departed.

Nasri was an integral member of last season's title-winning City team. This season the midfielder has been disappointing and after a rare man-of-the-match display in Saturday's 4-0 victory over Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium, Mancini joked about his frustration at the 25-year-old.

The Italian said: "I would like to give him a punch, because a player like him should play like this always. I can't understand [why] sometimes a player with his quality doesn't play like today every game," the manager said.

With City 15 points behind Manchester United in a title defence that is all but mathematically over, Mancini mentioned that he believed that, on occasion, players think it is "enough to play 50%".

But Nasri said: "I am aware that I have not had a good season. There are many reasons. But when Mancini said that I'm training at 50%, this is not true. I felt comfortable against Newcastle. It's been a while since I felt good. I do not have regrets, I do not regret joining Manchester City. I want to play and perform. My departure from Arsenal was purely for sporting reasons."

Nasri spent three years at Arsenal and he said Wenger was the manager with the greatest influence on his career. "Wenger is the best coach I've worked with. I only regret not having more discussions with Arsène Wenger when I left," Nasri said. "He's the one who understood me the most and made me the player I am. I'm thankful."

So was it Footballing reasons or were Arsenal forced to sell? Depending on how these comments were chopped up I suppose, but he seems to start by saying Arsenal were forced to sell but then he goes on to try and say that he left of his own accord and for footballing reasons.

[Paul Smith]

Fuck him and Kroenke.

[northbank123]

Nasri was a wanker that was desperate to go and complained that it wasn't fair that we didn't sell him at the start of the summer so that he could enjoy a whole pre-season with Citeh.

He gave us 5 good months out of a couple of seasons and I dare say any club offered £24m for such a player in those circumstances would bite their hand off, greedy Yank or not.

The other board members don't have a clue what Kroenke's intentions and wishes are so how Nasri has a great insight I don't know.

[REB]

I dont care what that prick says, he gave us one good half~season for I think the club were right to get rid of him, he was going to leave on a free so it would have been stupid to keep him when there was such a big offer from city on the table.

[Bradywasking]

little , City fans have wised up to him..and apparently the United fans are falling out of love with RVP as well, got a lot of criticism on the forums and facebook. Of course the money is always greener on the other side so neither will lose any sleep.

[Hamed]

Is this supposed to be an earth-shattering revelation?

[spendsum4uckingmoney]

I'm pretty sure I heard a quote from Nasri saying he was willing to see out his contract. I think there is some truth in it. If I was the owner and a player said he wouldn't sign a new deal I would want to sell. The real blame goes to Wenger for his 'socialist' wage structure. If we had offered him a new deal a year before he'd still be with us.

I never rated Nasri that highly. He slowed the tempo to a crawl and he flat out refuses to take on any player.

[highburyJD]

if Wenger wanted to keep Na$ri to the last year of his contract
and SilentStan insisted we cash in, then that's the best thing I can think of Kroenke doing
(pretty much the only thing TBH)

[_James_]

Selling Nasri wasn't terrible, we got a good price for him and he was very inconsistent he could be amazing sometimes and not doing much at others.

[topgoon]

Na$ri gave us 5 good months and we got £24 big ones for the away game bottler. The only reason we were sore about him leaving was the lack of re-investment otherwise good riddance and STFU Na$ri, you've been found out.

[BournemouthRED]

if Wenger wanted to keep Na$ri to the last year of his contract
and SilentStan insisted we cash in, then that's the best thing I can think of Kroenke doing
(pretty much the only thing TBH)

This

[SteveO 35]

Majority shareholder makes key financing decision

Whatever next eh?