Diouf: “Arsenal deal for Nasri to be announced in a few days”

By Aries

Ben Arfa who has interested Arsene Wenger before may have now played a major part in Samir Nasri’s deal with Arsenal finally going through.

This is because Marseille, his new club, could not raise the cash to pay the transfer fee to Lyon unless they sold Nasri to Arsenal.

The deal for Nasri had been delayed however until the player and his agent agreed personal terms with Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger had admitted as much when he said recently:

“It is more complicated now because the wage differences (between the French and the English league) are not as big as they used to be.

“It is very difficult (to transfer players from the French league) but England is considered one of the two top leagues and the best players want to play against the best players.”

Now it seems that Ben Arfa due to his impetuosity accelerated the process of both players changing clubs in tandem, even further.

He had gone against Lyon’s wishes who wanted him to turn up for training with them by setting up camp at La Commanderie, Marseille’s training headquarters.

Lyon had no other choice but to reluctantly agree to the transfer going through.

They have confirmed on their official website that Ben Arfa has been allowed to sign for Marseille after the two clubs agreed a fee of 12 m euro. He has already been assigned the number 20 shirt.


Marseille’s president Papa Diouf is now very keen to close the Nasri deal and be done with it.

He did give an indication that Nasri’s move to Arsenal looked imminent.

“An announcement would be made in two days” he said to the French press today and then corrected it by saying that it will be “in a few days”!

Let’s hope that this saga finally comes to an end and Samir Nasri finally becomes an Arsenal player. Pre season training starts soon anyway.

I wonder which shirt number Nasri will be given at Arsenal...Hleb’s?


Wenger: “Nasri has a considerable margin for improvement”. But what about his wages?