Wenger Blamed – Nasri Talks Ongoing

Arsenal are beginning to show signs of life in the transfer window this summer, with imminent transfers said to be in place; Lille’s Gervinho, and the Argentine midfielder Ricky Alvarez said to be close, as well as moves for defenders such as Chris Samba and Gary Cahill expected from Wenger.

However, it wasn’t like this in the past few transfer windows for Arsenal, and many have been highly critical as a result. The latest critic of Wenger’s transfer policy is Perry Groves, the former Arsenal midfielder, who signed for the London club back in 1986. He told TalkSport:

“The frustrating thing is [the Premier League] was Arsenal’s to win last year.”

“But because they didn’t have the dominant centre-half which they could have gone and got in January that’s why [they didn’t win the league] and that’s why Arsene’s policy over two or three years has been proven wrong.”

“There has been two phases when Arsene Wenger has been in charge. On the pitch from 1996-2004 that is how you structure a football team. Off the pitch from 2005-2011 is how you structure a football club, going from Highbury to the Emirates.”

“Arsenal fans, the real die-hard ones, want trophies and that is the real be all and end all of how you’re judged as a football club manager.”

A trophy is exactly what Arsenal need next season to appease the frustrated fans, who may soon be approaching seven or eight years without any silverware, with the last piece coming in 2005 when the FA Cup was won. However, to have a chance to win a trophy, Arsenal will need to keep hold of their best players, and that includes Samir Nasri, who has been flirting with the idea of leaving Arsenal recently.

Talks are ongoing between the players representatives and the club, with the latest negotiations looking more positive than before. Nasri is still holding out for an increase in his wages, and a better deal than the £80,000 a week being offered in a five year-deal, but he is also waiting to see how Wenger acts in the transfer market.

Clubs are circling over Nasri, watching intently the progression of negotiations, preparing to pounce at any time, and with some of he biggest clubs around Europe said to be interested, including Arsenal’s Premier League rivals, Manchester United. Nasri is ambitious, and wants to win trophies, so he needs the guarantee from Arsenal that, with new players purchases, the club will be real challengers for trophies.

Everyone involved would rather this saga was resolved sooner rather than later, as it is one of those transfers that could run seemingly endlessly throughout the window.

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Submitted by DBSFootball