Hammers boss backing Nasri to recapture form
MANUEL PELLEGRINI has revealed Samir Nasri is fired up by “revenge” as he bids to make a success of his comeback.
The West Ham midfielder lines up against former side Arsenal at the London Stadium this lunchtime.
Nasri, 31, spent 18 months on the sidelines serving a doping ban before signing for the Hammers on January 1.
And Pellegrini, who lifted the title with the Frenchman at Manchester City, believes Nasri is driven to prove wrong the doubters who reckon he is no longer the player he was.
The Irons boss said: “I think they can expect a lot from him because he is a top player. When he is used to playing 90 minutes again, he will be a top player at this club.
“He wants revenge also and for me it is so important to give him the opportunity to work with us.
“I hope we will recover the same Samir Nasri that we saw three or four years ago with me at Manchester City.”
Nasri feared his career was over after being found guilty of receiving an intravenous treatment at a Los Angeles clinic in December 2016, in breach of World AntiDoping Agency rules.
The two-time title winner, signed on a six-month deal by the Hammers, said: “I’m still disappointed about it because I didn’t take any substance.
“It was just the dosage of the vitamin that was too much. I could do it in two days but I did it in just one day and so I have regrets about it because I was sick. I had a doctor’s prescription but it still hasn’t been accepted.
“I lost one year of my career that just went like that and at one point they were talking about a four-year suspension. A lot of things went through my mind. I thought my career was over, so having this second chance makes me lucky.”
Pellegrini remains adamant that while age has caught up with Nasri, he is still a risk worth taking.
The Chilean added: “From Arsenal, City bought him. From there his career declined, without doubt.
Money
“Every time you choose a player you have a risk. Sometimes when you invest more money your risk increases.
“When I bring players here, I say my responsibility doubles over when players were already here with the squad.
“You must take decisions. This was a risky decision but not a high risk one, because he signed for six months.
“He didn’t want a [large] amount of money in these six months. He wanted to demonstrate he was back in football. There’s a lot of players you can buy and the risk is high.
“He made no problem with the contract. He was not fighting for more or less money. He had an agreement and he wants to demonstrate between now and June that he is able to be a top player in football.”