Sir Alex Ferguson is increasingly confident he can lure Samir Nasri to Manchester United and believes a £20m bid for the Arsenal midfielder will secure the 24 year-old’s signature.
Despite the insistence of Arsene Wenger earlier this month that, 'One thing's for sure: we're not selling him (Nasri) to Manchester United,' Ferguson has become increasingly confident in his chances of prising Nasri from Arsenal.
With the player refusing to commit to a new contract at the Emirates, Arsenal risk losing the France international for nothing when his current deal expires next summer and United have been informed that Nasri is prepared to leave Arsenal for Old Trafford.
Wenger’s resistance to selling one of his best players to United, particularly if it coincides with the loss of captain Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona, is likely to provide a formidable obstacle to Ferguson’s attempts to sign Nasri.
Talks involving third parties linked to United and Nasri took place earlier this month and senior figures at Old Trafford believe that the economics of the deal, with Arsenal standing to receive a substantial fee for a player entering the final year of his contract, will ultimately prove decisive in their favour.
Manchester City are monitoring Nasri’s situation, with the former Marseille player listed as a secondary target should priority signings fail to arrive at Eastlands.
But with Arsenal due to report for pre-season training next Tuesday, United are ready to make their move in an effort to capitalise on the uncertainty surrounding the futures of both Nasri and Fabregas.
United took their summer spending to £49.8m by completing the £18.3m signing of Atletico Madrid goalkeeper David de Gea on Wednesday.
The Spain U21 keeper, who has yet to learn English, is set to make his debut against Seattle Sounders on July 20.
Meanwhile, United chief executive David Gill has claimed that the punishment meted out to Ferguson and Wayne Rooney by the Football Association last season has added to the belief at Old Trafford that United are victims of disciplinary double standards.
Ferguson received a five-match touchline ban and £30,000 fine for comments about referee Martin Atkinson, while Rooney was suspended for two games as punishment for swearing into a television camera.
Gill, an FA board member, said: "I do genuinely believe there have been some poor-ish decisions that, in my opinion, wouldn’t necessarily have hit other clubs.
"That’s not to say I’m condoning Wayne’s comments, because I don’t think they were correct, or what Sir Alex said [about Atkinson] because it wasn’t helpful.
"But at the same time, the actual punishments were harsh. We’re possibly being caught up in being one of the biggest clubs and the 'Respect' agenda being there.
"What better way to demonstrate the authorities are being tough than by hitting one of the biggest clubs the hardest?" Gill, speaking in 'Champ19ns - The Inside Story of United's 19th League Title,' added: "Wayne recognised it was wrong and apologised almost immediately.
"We have various issues with the ban: one being consistency. What’s going to happen now? Is the referee under pressure to send everyone off?
"I think sometimes in celebration people do swear and all that means is that, to my mind, it’s a dangerous course the FA have gone down, because consistent application is what’s required and I’m not sure that’ll necessarily happen.
"There are certain things you should wait until the start of the season to change.
"But it’s a lesson to Wayne. He’s subsequently scored a great goal against Chelsea and smiled - that’s what we want to see.
"There should be exuberance, but you look at the abuse he was subjected to and I know people say you’ve got to rise above it, but I defy anyone being vilified to that level to always retain your cool."
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