Arsenal Transfer News: What Will Nasri's Potential Departure Mean to Gunners?

Arsenal look to be on the verge of losing their battle to keep midfield maestro Samir Nasri at Emirates, and the move could have a major impact on the Gunners roster and overall look next season.

The Gunners have been fighting to hang onto Nasri for much of the summer, after the 24-year-old French star demanded a deal out of the Emirates. He claimed to be unhappy with the club's talent level as well as their inability to win hardware, although many figured the move was a grab for more cash. 

But according to a report from The Guardian, Nasri looks bound for Manchester City in a £25 million deal, as Wenger is reportedly open to selling the talented young midfielder after a summer of fighting to keep him in the fold. 

It's believed that City are ready to offer the French star £185,000 per week, according to a report from The Independent.

Nothing has been confirmed as official as of yet, and there's still a solid chance that Wenger scuttles the deal in an effort to keep Nasri with the Gunners, or that the midfielder can't agree to personal terms with the Eastlands club. But assuming the deal gets done, what does it mean for Arsenal's roster?

The obvious answer is that it frees up a massive chunk of playing time for some of Arsenal's other young midfielders. Players like Ryo Miyaichi, Aaron Ramsey and new signing (and resident budding superstar) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all stand to benefit from Nasri's departure. It's unclear whether any of that trio are capable of fully filling Nasri's shoes at this stage, but the combination figures to make up for his depature. 

Of those three, Oxlade-Chamberlain has to be seen as the best prospect. The 17-year-old wunderkind has been touted as the next big thing in football for quite some time now, and his skills are undeniable. He's capable of becoming another offensive star in Wenger's system, and his skills are perfectly suited to Arsenal's style of play. 

But Miyaichi, who has finally gotten his work visa, and the supremely versatile and talented Ramsey are both fantastic young options as well. With Nasri out of the picture, it opens up more options for Wenger in the midfield, and allows him a bit more versatility with who he sticks on the pitch each week. If there's a position where Arsenal can afford to lose a player as talented as Nasri, it would be the midfield, where they're currently eight or nine deep. 

While losing Nasri certainly impacts the Gunners' current roster, it could also have a major impact on their plans this summer, as well. Wenger's interest in a big centre back has been well-documented all summer long, and the £25 million fee they'd be getting from the Blues would more than pay for either Gary Cahill or Chris Samba, and could even land Phil Jagielka if they so desire.

Losing out on Nasri would hurt, to be sure; any time you lose a player as supremely talented as the French midfielder, it's going to hurt, but the cash and the players they could get with it would undoubtedly soften the blow for the Gunners faithful.

That doesn't mean there aren't downsides to dealing the 24-year-old midfield maestro to City; after all, with him gone Arsenal will be forced to rely on a troika of unproven talent, which is sure to go through ups and downs as the season progresses. It's never fun to rely on unproven players, as you're never sure how much longer a run of strong form will last. The unknown is always a scary thing in sports, and if none of Wenger's talented youngsters pan out right, fans will come to rue the decision to deal Nasri. 

But with the talent Arsenal have on the roster, losing the French midfield maestro isn't the end of the world. Wenger can use the cash from the sale to further bolster the club's defense, which makes them a much better club than they would be without defensive help and Nasri still on the roster. 

While the deal isn't done yet (and many Gunners fans are undoubtedly hoping Nasri stays), the impact his departure could have on the roster isn't nearly as fatal as many might think.