Arsenal Transfers: Reasons Why Samir Nasri Should Stay or Move to Manchester

All the transfer talk swirling around Cesc Fabregas' possible move to Barcelona has somewhat drawn attention from Samir Nasri's potential departure from Arsenal.

The Frenchman, who arrived at the Emirates in 2008, just had a sensational 2010/11 season and made a serious bid for the best player in the Premier League.

The two clubs that have openly said that they want Nasri are Manchester United and Manchester City.

Nasri has stated publicly that he wants trophies. There were rumours that he wanted to move to another club simply for a small pay raise, but he has said that that reason is ridiculous, given that professionals already make so much money.

The trophies argument is a legitimate reason to leave Arsenal, given that the Gunners' last trophy was in 2005. Unless Arsene Wenger makes some purchases, it doesn't look like they are likely to get one.

For Arsenal, a big signing could really help them, as the defense has been the real issue, especially late in the season.

Here are some things that Samir Nasri could do, and why he potentially should and shouldn't do them.

Move to Manchester City

If Nasri made the move to Manchester City, he would be playing alongside world-class players like Yaya Toure, Carlos Tevez (if he stays in Manchester), Gareth Barry, Mario Balotelli, David Silva, Edin Dzeko and Kolo Toure (to name a few).

This can be an amazing thing if Nasri is looking for trophies. The up-and-coming Blues are candidates to win the Premier League.

Unfortunately, if he wants to be on the same team as these fantastic talents, he will definitely have to sacrifice some playing time.

There is no way Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is going to be playing Nasri nonstop, neglecting other youngsters who could become great players.

At a club with so much wealth in the attack, Nasri will have to make a trade-off. 

This is when the Frenchman must think about his priorities. Does he want more trophies or more playing time?

For the fans of Manchester City, it would be great to see Nasri join compatriot and former teammate Gael Clichy.

But for some of the players, it would mean less playing time as well.

Move to Manchester United

The trophy situation at Manchester United will be much better than at Manchester City.

The Red Devils have won four Premier League titles and one Champions League title since 2006.

To their credit, they are simply outstanding at winning. That is a quality they possess that teams like Arsenal simply don't have. When they aren't on the upper hand, they still manage to pull out a win.

Playing for Manchester United is also better for Nasri in terms of playing time.

Sir Alex Ferguson's squad is one with much less flashy talent and much less evident, up-in-your-face skill.

Individually, the Red Devils aren't as good as City's, but they play extremely well as a team. Nasri will get a ton of playing time there. If Rooney and Berbatov/Chicharito play up top, with Nasri and Nani on the wings, United's attack will be very good.

Going to play under Sir Alex Ferguson would probably be a better bet for Samir Nasri, as he would get more playing time, and the odds of getting a trophy are much higher. 

United could use someone down the left wing, as Nani is already fantastic on the other side. Nasri might help Rooney pick up his brilliant form, as it was missing most of last year.

The only tiny thing that may prevent him from wanting to go to United is that they are rivals with Arsenal.

There may be a small part of him that wouldn't want to feel like he's being unfaithful to the Gunners. If he does go, some Arsenal fans (and probably the media, too) will give him a lot of grief about disloyalty.

Stay at Arsenal

It often happens with athletes that the person is playing fantastically at a club, scoring goals/touchdowns/baskets, when he or she gets traded.

Then, at the new team, their form plummets, and the brilliance that they had at their old club is lost.

This happens a lot. In football (soccer), I can name Thierry Henry to Barcelona, Ronaldinho to AC Milan and Kaka to Real Madrid off the top of my head.

The current form that Nasri has is something that I'm sure he will never want to lose. If he moves away, there is a chance that he will lose it.

He has a good dynamic at Arsenal alongside many good players, and Nasri is on great terms with his manager and compatriot, Arsene Wenger.

As Arsenal gets stronger, there is more of a chance of the Gunners winning a trophy this year than last year. Hopefully, Wenger will make some purchases that will improve the squad.

Another reason to stay at Arsenal is that he has already attained godly status among Gooners.

He might not be as worshipped as Cesc Fabregas, but that isn't saying a lot!

Though there is no doubt that he will be well liked among Manchester United fans, he might not be as popular as he is in North London.

However, if he is frustrated with Arsenal's inability to produce championships, I don't think anyone can blame a top player who isn't winning for leaving.

Conclusion

Out of these three options, a move to Manchester City would be the worst, as he would have less playing time than Arsenal and United and worse odds to win a trophy than at United.

Therefore, Nasri should do one of these two things:

Go to Manchester United immediately. He will get a ton of playing time, and Manchester United are supreme winners. It would satisfy his hunger for trophies.

Stay at Arsenal for one more year. Give Arsene Wenger another chance to show that he can win titles and rack trophies up. However, if Nasri does this, it would be the Gunners' last chance to win titles.

If they can't produce anything, move to United after another year.

Please leave comments and tell me what you think.