Arsenal, Euro 2008, Featured, Ligue 1
Who On Earth Is… Samir Nasri
Arsenal are on the verge of capturing Samir Nasri, the Marseille starlet who has been in terrific form. Footballing World takes an in-depth look at the 'new Zidane', a talented 20-year-old who looks certain to set the Premier League alight next season.
Samir Nasri is heading to Arsenal for 12 million pounds
Arsenal are on the verge of capturing Samir Nasri, the Marseille starlet who has been in terrific form.
Amongst the best young players in Ligue 1 - in the same bracket as Karim Benzema and Hatem Ben Arfa, both of whom are at Lyons - Nasri’s contract has a release clause of around 15 million euros, or 12 million pounds, and Arsène Wenger is keen to counter the anticipated loss of Alexander Hleb by signing the 20-year-old.
Nasri is also being targeted by Lyons, with a swap deal involving Ben Arfa mooted, but Arsenal are in pole position especially with Wenger’s French connection. The Marseille-born attacking midfielder is also thought to want to test himself in the Premier League having been part of the senior set-up in Ligue 1 for four years.
Like Benzema, Nasri has been compared with Zinedine Zidane. Both sons of Algerian immigrants and raised in a tough Marseille suburb, their creative talents on the field mean they have similarly commanded an instant starting place.
At the hub of a Marseille side that took third place on the last day of the season to earn a Champions League spot, his playmaking abilities came to the fore as the club recovered from a poor start to the campaign and a premature exit from Europe’s premier competition to finish behind only Lyons and Bordeaux.
Named Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year in 2007, Nasri has made seven appearances for the national side and will be present at Euro 2008 as France attempt to go one better than at the World Cup two years ago. And Nasri could prove the difference in a tight match if he is given a start, with his youthful exuberance threatening to run tiring opposing defences ragged.
At a diminutive 1.77m - the same as Cesc Fàbregas - a low centre of gravity aids his bursting runs and exceptional vision. A partnership with Fàbregas in midfield, with the Spaniard playing as an anchor just behind the more attacking role of the Frenchman, is a mouth-watering prospect for Gunners fans. Nasri’s introduction should also allay some of the fears that Arsenal are losing many of their top players - like Hleb and Mathieu Flamini - without adequately replacing them.
Nasri’s mental and physical development has excelled over the last two years, and although he still appears weak, his robustness in the challenge should not be doubted. Essential for the Premier League.
His finishing might need work but talent is constant - and Arsenal have captured a unique player who has the potential to assimilate into any of Europe’s top clubs. As such, Wenger has secured a coup.
Nasri in his own words
>> “I don’t think it’s fair to put that sort of pressure on a young player,” he told journalists. “There’s only one Zidane, just as there was only one Platini. I’m me, a novice who’s trying to get better.”
>> “I have a youthful inconsistency,” he told L’Equipe. “I can sparkle for 20 minutes and then disappear for the next 10 … it’s not something that worries me because I consider it perfectly natural for a young player, but it’s certainly something I’m working on improving.”
Nasri in numbers
121 appearances for Marseille
7 for France
22 Marseille shirt number
2007 named French Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year
2004 won 2004 UEFA U-17 Championship, scoring winning goal in the final
Is Nasri going to be a success at Arsenal?
Share your views in the comment section below.
Tags: Alexander Hleb, Arsene Wenger, Cesc Fabregas, Euro 2008, France, Hatem Ben Arfa, Karim Benzema, Lyon, Marseille, Samir Nasri
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I’m sorry, but without wanting to be rude, the person who wrote this article clearly has no clue about Fabregas or Nasri…there is no way Wenger would play them in the centre together…Cesc is not a defensive midfielder…he is an attacking midfielder…if Nasri comes, he will play on the left or right of midfield
all we need now is Shaun Wright phillips, an we will have a powerhoue of a midfield!
A nice article about what Sam’s about. Although i do think that he’ll play on the wing unless we play 451 which would put him in the hole. Useful as well for when Fab needs a break to stop him from burning out and getting tired like last season!
i’m really happy about this signing and just hope that it does go through alright!
yes he is….
im feeling a 451 with adebayor up front with nasri just behind.
I wouldn’t consider Fabregas & Nasri to be diminutive or short.
They are probably in the medium height range, both as footballers & as men.
Shaun Wright-Phillips & Joe Cole on the other hand, could both be accurately described as short or diminutive, as both footballers & as men.
I think Arsenal can win the title if Arsene wenger sign nasri ,, he would be perfect hleb replacement but the bigger challenge is to replace flamini and for defensive midfield arsenal is linked with real madrid Ruben De La Red and sporting Miguel Veloso and Lille’s Jean-Makoun and PSG’s Clement Chantome and St.Etienne’s matuidi … I hope wenger bring Mario Gomez or huntelaar if ADebayor leaves but i won’t like if adebayor leaves because he is in form ….
[...] FRANCEWho On Earth Is… Samir Nasri [...]
Why does eveyone have concerns on our central midfield positions?
We have Cesc who will be partnered by Gilberto or Diaby(watch him make it his this season,think a more offensive Vieria),we also have Ramsey,Song,Merida and Randall,admittedly young band untested but so many of Wengers signings have started this way.
We need a world class keeper,Almunia is average,Fabianski unproven aside from carling cup and looked out of his depth.We need strength at the back,Senderos is not good enough.We need more wide players,that said if reports are true Nasri will play out wide.If Ade goes we still have Robin VP,Bendtner,Eduardo,Walcott and Vela(may be empolyed wide).Would gladly welcome Eto,Akinfeev and Lescott.That should be enough
Hope Nasri is just the start of more to come like a good goalkeeper and center deffender
I AM HAPPY TO COME ARSENAL NASRI BECOUSE HE IS MAN ARNENAL AND MAN WORLD I SPORT ARSENAL
I SPORT ARSENAL THEN NASRI IAM HAPPY BECOUSE NASRI MAN ARSENAL
WHY ARE NOT TALKING OF DEFENCE OUR IS PRONE TO MAKING MISTAKES, MY SERIOUS WORRY IS THE DEFENCE AM NOT WORRIED THAT MUCH ABOUT THE ATTACK OR MIDFIELD, THOUGH WE HAV LOST FLAMONEY TO AC. WE NEED SOME ONE LIKE ZAPATA OR ALBIOL ONE OF THEM. IF ADEBAYOR DECIDE TO JOIN AC I WLL FEEL SORRY FOR ARSENAL. WE NEED AN UGLY CENTER HALF.
people neeeeed to understand that nasri is not a replacement for hleb.
Nasri is better at taking people on with skill, and goal scoring, whereas hleb has unbelievable vision and an ability to work in acute spaces.
if we are going to succeed next season we are going to need them both
u guys are all stupid nasri is good but we have rosicky as well….
[...] from last campaign - Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini - have departed, with exciting Frenchman Samir Nasri effectively replacing Hleb. But there has yet to be a replacement for Flamini’s brilliant [...]