Samir Nasri seeks richer deal to stay at Arsenal

Yesterday, it looked like Samir Nasri might be off to Manchester United. Today it transpires he has no wish to leave Arsenal – he's just after more money. That's the astonishing claim by goal.com, which says that the 23-year-old French magician is holding out for a better deal with the club that turned him into one of the world's most respected midfielders.

Nasri declared at the weekend that he wasn't sure if he wished to remain at the Emirates, even going as far as to suggest Manchester United might be an option, but according to goal.com Nasri wants to stay in north London, only with a little bit more money in his pocket.

The website alleges that Nasri has been offered a five-year deal worth approximately £90,000-a-week, but that's angered the frugal Frenchman who is demanding he receives the same as Cesc Fabregas – in other words £110,000-a-week.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is apparently reluctant to concede ground to Nasri, alarmed that it might set a dangerous precedent. But at the same time he doesn't want to lose one of his most influential players.  Something's got to give in the next few weeks otherwise Arsenal fans will have to endure another French farce.

Meanwhile the Cesc Fabregas soap opera looks set for a second summer season. Barcelona have opened the bidding, according to the Mirror, at £28m plus £7m-rated Thiago Alcantara.

However, there are a couple of problems. Firstly, that is less than the £38 they offered last summer, and secondly Thiago is going nowhere according to his father, Brazilian World Cup winner Mazinho. "My son stays at Barcelona," he announced.

Over at Old Trafford the final details are being hammered out in the £20m transfer of Ashley Young from Aston Villa. And it seems that if and when he does sign he will be providing crosses for the head of Javier Hernandez after Alex Ferguson warned Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho that no amount of money would persuade him to sell the Mexican striker.

In other news Udinese striker Alexis Sanchez is poised to move to Barcelona according to the Italian club's president Franco Soldati. The 22-year-old Chilean is wanted by Manchester City and United, as well as Juventus, but in an interview with Radio Sportiva Soldati said: "Manchester City and United have been tracking him all year, so have Barcelona, and at the moment they are the favourites ahead of Juventus."

Meanwhile England striker Darren Bent (if he can still be called a striker after his performance against Switzerland at the weekend) has pledged his loyalty to Aston Villa, whatever happens to Ashley Young.

The winger may be bound for United, but Bent says he'll be staying put at Villa Park come what may.

"They [the supporters] don't need to worry about me," said Bent. "I'm tired of moving around. I am at Aston Villa now and I have loved every minute I have been at the club… I am committed to Aston Villa and I am looking forward to the season coming."

Joe Cole might not be about to move to Tottenham after all. That's the opinion of Talksport who claim that the 29-year-old Liverpool midfielder is not wanted by the Lilywhites. It has been reported that the former Chelsea playmaker was on his way from Anfield to White Hart Lane after a disastrous 12 months on Merseyside, but Talksport quotes a Spurs insider as saying that they have no intention of signing the over-the-hill Cole.
 
But it looks increasingly unlikely that Cole will be retained by the Reds after Real Madrid midfielder Xavier Alonso revealed that he is mulling a return to Liverpool. The 29-year-old Alonso spent five happy years at Anfield before leaving for the Bernabeu in 2009, and though he's enjoyed his time at Real the Spaniard says Liverpool are never far from his thoughts.

In an interview with the club's TV channel, Alonso was asked if he might be coming back for a second spell. "I have my Red passion and if circumstances arrived then why not? At the moment I don't know what is going to happen, but it could be a possibility."

Alonso, who left for Real in a £28 move, added: "I miss the lads, I miss the atmosphere… the scenario of Anfield is unbeatable." ·