Arsene Wenger's woe as Man City snatch Samir Nasri and Jack Wilshere is crocked
Posted Wednesday, August 24, 2011 by The Sun
BYE BYE ... Nasri at training yesterday before heading to his medical at City
ARSENE WENGER suffered double trouble ahead of tonight's vital Champions League tie with Udinese.
The Arsenal boss could not stop Samir Nasri leaving for Manchester City for £24million.
And Wenger also learned Jack Wilshere will be out for weeks.
The Gunners hoped he would recover from an ankle injury to help them defend a 1-0 lead in Italy.
Wenger said: "It's not ideal news about Jack on the day we sell Nasri. He had two good test days on Friday and Saturday.
"But, on Monday morning, we had a test with the squad and he felt it again.
"I don't know if we are back to square one.
"It's a hot spot on the bone of his ankle that if you continue to play it can lead to a stress fracture. So we had to stop him. It is bad news."
Wilshere's injury woe is also a huge blow for England boss Fabio Capello as he will be without the 19-year-old midfielder for the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Wales.
Wenger suffered a further setback after Everton rejected his latest £15m bid for Phil Jagielka - the Goodison club want £18m for the England defender.
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini threatened to call off the Nasri deal if the midfielder played in Arsenal's crunch play-off in Udine.
That would have stopped the Frenchman from turning out for City in the Champions League.
In the end, Arsenal could not risk letting Nasri leave for nothing next summer.
Wenger said: "We are forced into a decision like that for psychological and financial reasons.
"I'm a realist - it's not by coincidence that everybody suddenly lands at Man City."
Wenger had some good news - UEFA chiefs ruled he can sit on the Gunners bench tonight.
Arsenal appealed against the two-match touchline ban handed to Wenger for breaking the terms of an earlier suspension in the first leg.
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