MANCHESTER — Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has told his France teammate Samir Nasri to move to Old Trafford and not rivals Manchester City if he values success above money.
Nasri’s future remained in the balance as he had to decide between signing a new deal at Arsenal and leaving the Emirates, with United and City leading the chase for the 24-year-old midfielder.
But despite admitting that he came close to quitting United a year ago, Evra confirmed that he had spoken to Nasri and urged him to join the Barclays Premier League champions if he wants to become one of the best football players in the world.
“If he goes to City, it’s his choice,” said Evra. “But I know, as a player, if I have Manchester United and Manchester City, I would go straight for United. It can be for the money, many different things. But I would prefer to go for the glory.”
Sir Alex Ferguson said earlier this month that he feared Nasri was destined to join another club — widely believed to be City – but Evra was refusing to give up hope that he would choose United instead as a replacement for Paul Scholes.
He added: “Of course I’ve talked a lot with him in the holiday and also when we met up for friendly games with France at the end of the season. I told him how great it is to play for United and how important it would be for him to become one of the biggest players in the world.
“I don’t know how negotiations are at the moment, but he has a lot of clubs (interested in him) and he has to think. “I just told him how good it would be for him coming here. He will have a nice welcome, and I can help as well because I’m French. I don’t know what he’s going to do yet. It was looking interesting but I don’t know. We’ll have to see.
“He said that it’s a privilege a club like United want him but he has to think about his future and talk with his agent. I’m not Nasri, I’m not his agent or his dad. You’d have to ask him.”
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Evra risked further upsetting City by revealing that his close friend Carlos Tevez told him three years ago — long before he made a controversial switch from Old Trafford to the Etihad Stadium — that he was planning to return to South America.
A £40 million move to Brazilian club Corinthians broke down last week, but Tevez remains determined to leave City and be nearer his two young daughters in Argentina. — Daily Mail
