Nobody could have thought the fate of Samir Nasri could come down to this. The former Arsenal man was once tipped to be one of the world-beating talent in midfield when he first made his Premier League debut with the Gunners back in 2008 and would go on to establish himself as a key figure in Wenger’s squad before making a move to join Manchester City in the summer of 2011 for a price of €27.5m.
Fast forward to the summer of 2017, the player is at the doldrums of uncertainty with his future supposedly elsewhere. The City midfielder spent a season on loan with Sevilla and although the Spanish club had the exclusive buying option for the player, reports suggest they are more than reluctant to sign the player and his current employers are also not keen on having the French International and are looking to offload him in the summer.
The eccentric midfielder had a more than successful spell under manager Roberto Mancini since his arrival from Arsenal and had been a permanent figure in the centre of the pitch for the Sky Blues during the Italian gaffer’s helm at the club.
He was also a key player for Manuel Pellegrini after the Chilean took over from Mancini. The Frenchman’s dribbling abilities along with his agility and vision made him a lethal option on the pitch and he was a nightmare for defenders to mark.
But the Frenchman gradually declined in form since 2014/15 season. The campaign was riddled with injuries and fitness issues. The ex-Arsenal man gradually started spending more time on sidelines than on the pitch and was slowly shoved down the pecking order as David Silva, Jesus Navas, Kevin de Bruyne, Yaya Toure and Fernandinho made it tough for him to get space on the first team sheet.
And now, presently with Bernardo Silva joining in, it seems like the Frenchman would find it even tougher to break into the first team under Guardiola.
The 29-year old who is soon to be 30, has made his own life tough for himself as his personal antics first saw him get ousted from the National team and now his lack of discipline and motivation has seen him drop out of the Sky Blues. His patchy form at Sevilla, which saw him contribute only 3 goals and 3 assists in 30 appearances, means the Spanish club are also reluctant to sign the injury-prone individual.
Should Manchester City still retain the player?
There’s isn’t a reason why they should. The squad depth that Manchester City boast in the Premier League could rival any top team in Europe. Neither do they need him for strength nor depth and with Guardiola looking to infuse exuberance and vigour in his squad, it hardly seems logical to retain the French International who would celebrate his 30th birthday in a few days’ time.
Nasri should also be looking at potential transfer options where he could get serious game time up front. With only a few good years left in his footballing career, he should look to make the best out of it and a switch to the cash-rich Chinese Super League might just be the right gateway for the player.
One might feel sorry for the two-time Premier League winner but that is the English Premier League or rather football where only the best and fittest can survive.