West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini has admitted that signing Samir Nasri on a short term deal was “a risk” for the club after his time out the game and that he is uncertain over the future of the French midfielder.
The former Manchester City star joined the Hammers on a short term deal back in January, returning from an anti-doping ban, with a view to making his move a long-term one this summer.
However, with doubt building over whether he will get a new deal, Pellegrini has admitted it was always a gamble to sign him up – and his short time at the club is surely coming to an end.
What did Pellegrini say?
When probed about the future of the former France international, Pellegrini admitted that he was biding his time over making a final decision, with the end of the season his deadline for choosing whether or not to keep him on board.
He told Sky Sports: “About next season, I don’t know. We knew that when Samir came here we had a risk for muscle injuries because he was more than one year without playing, so we will see at the end of the season.”
As stated, Nasri’s was always viewed as a roll of the dice after his layoff and simply put, the club’s worries have come true, the 31-year-old having already spent one spell on the sidelines with a calf injury and is now back on the treatment table with the same problem.
What next for Nasri?
One injury blow can be excused but the same problem in less than half a season has got to have alarm bells ringing in east London.
It is not like the Frenchman has looked like the creative genius he did when he was last in the Premier League either – instead struggling to keep up with the pace of England’s top flight and lacking the cutting edge he was expected to bring.
West Ham might feel there is still the potential for him to come good but his injury record and lack of top quality displays means that must be a gamble which has not paid off.
Time is surely up for Nasri at the London Stadium with his latest setback.