Arsene Wenger insists that he will not be cashing in on Samir Nasri, even if he risks losing him for nothing next year; a real gamble from the manager who still very much believes this team is destined for greatness.
The manager has said a big club doesn’t sell its best players, and obviously thinks he can change Nasri’s mind about leaving over the course of next season. If the French winger stays and plays a big part in what will hopefully be a successful season, then perhaps he will change his mind about leaving. That’s obviously what Wenger is banking on, but it’s a big gamble.
He said today: “I’m willing to keep Samir for another year, even if I risk losing him for nothing when his deal expires next season.”
So there you have it – he’s putting everything on the upcoming campaign. Big clubs don’t sell their best players, but then again big clubs don’t have trouble persuading their best players not to jump ship. I guess if we win nothing again in 2011/12, we’re not a big club.
Maybe if that happens, Wenger will finally concede he has failed at his job. A key element of this youth project was that his players would feel a loyalty to Arsenal for kick-starting their careers, and if that isn’t happening, and trophies aren’t coming, then in what way can he possibly say this approach is working?
As I said, I admire his confidence. I just wish I shared it. Still, it does at least a little something to encourage fans that we’re not a selling club; we could make a lot of money from selling Nasri now, but Wenger is putting on-the-pitch affairs first, and that’s a real positive.
I hope Wenger stays strong on this issue, as we’ll be a better team, in the short run at least, with Fabregas and Nasri in it.
Still, they need better defenders behind them, and a lack of action in that department continues to worry me.
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