Samir Nasri may not hold a cherished place in the hearts of Arsenal fans today, but there was a time when the French midfielder was a beloved figure at the club.
Arriving from Marseille in 2008 for £12 million, Nasri quickly endeared himself to Gunners supporters with his dazzling performances, becoming one of the Premier League’s most exciting attackers during a highly competitive era.
However, his time in north London was brief. In 2011, after just three years, the then-24-year-old made a controversial £24 million move to Manchester City. The transfer did not sit well with Arsenal fans, especially since City had already lured away Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Touré in 2009, followed by Nasri and Gaël Clichy in the same summer. Compounding the frustration was the departure of Cesc Fà bregas to Barcelona in a £30 million deal during that same window.
At the time, Nasri insisted his move was driven by the desire to win titles rather than financial gain. His decision was somewhat vindicated as he won two Premier League titles with Manchester City. However, in a 2013 interview with *beIN Sport*, Nasri admitted that his departure wasn’t entirely by choice, revealing that Arsenal’s then-owner, Stan Kroenke, played a key role.
“I don’t regret leaving Arsenal,” Nasri said. “I won the league while Arsenal struggled to finish fourth. Wenger told me that if Cesc [Fà bregas] left, I would stay, but Kroenke wanted the money. The coach told me we’d only sign Gervinho, and with only one year left on my contract, I decided to leave.”
Nasri’s comments highlighted the financial constraints Arsenal faced under Kroenke’s ownership during that period, leaving Arsène Wenger with little choice but to let one of his brightest talents go.
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