ARSENAL have sensationally told Manchester City: Give us Carlos Tevez and you can have Samir Nasri.
Hitman Tevez has been trying to get out of Manchester all summer.
And with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger under growing pressure to bring in a top buy, the Gunners have suddenly come up with their shock proposal.
Midfielder Nasri had hoped to sign for City by yesterday lunchtime after being promised a £180,000-a-week deal.
But Arsenal - also on the verge of losing skipper Cesc Fabregas - have blocked the move while they see if they can sort a swap with Tevez.
The Gunners will have to make a cash adjustment in City's favour for the Argie because the club's top scorer is valued at £50million.
The best Arsenal can get for Nasri is £25m as there is only one year remaining on the French star's contract - meaning he could walk for nothing next summer.
However, Arsenal are hoping to get the Tevez fee down by £10m.
And they believe they can come to an agreement over his wages which could be as much as £200,000 a week.
Tevez has said he wants out of City to be closer to his family in Argentina but London is only 200 miles nearer South America than Manchester.
However, SunSport understands Tevez would be delighted to join Arsenal in a move which would be a massive boost for their fans.
An Arsenal insider said: "Tevez would be just the signing to give everyone a lift.
"There is a lot of work to be done yet but if there is a will on all sides it can happen.
"Nasri wants to get to City, Tevez wants to get out and Wenger needs a new star to get everyone off his back.
"It seems like win-win all round."
Meanwhile, Fabregas' expected departure to Barcelona has been delayed.
The midfield general was hoping to fly out yesterday to seal his £35million move to the Spanish champions.
But Barca have told him to wait until Monday when they hope to complete the formalities on a five-year deal.
Adam Johnson 'eyed by Aston Villa for season-long loan'
Aston Villa want to take England winger Adam Johnson on loan from Manchester City with a view to a permanent move at the end of the season.
The England international has struggled to command a regular place under Roberto Mancini, and with the imminent arrival of Samir Nasri from Arsenal, competition at Eastlands is set to increase.
That’s given Villains boss Alex McLeish encouragement that he can land the former Middlesbrough winger on a temporary basis.
Mancini is well aware of Johnson’s talents, but has previously expressed a problem with the 24-year-old’s attitude.
His lack of defensive nous has concerned the Italian, and as a result was left out of some of City’s biggest fixtures last season.
Villa, despite signing Charles N’Zogbia, are still in need of an extra wideman having sold both Stewart Downing and Ashley Young this summer, and Johnson would perfectly fit the bill.
There’s also reports that the winger has become tired of warming the bench and playing bit part roles in matches, so may well jump at the chance of regular action at Villa Park.
Adebayor nears Spurs loan
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly closing in on a season-long loan deal for out-of-favour Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor. Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly closing in on a season-long loan deal for out-of-favour Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor.
Adebayor, 27, does not feature in the first-team plans of City manager Roberto Mancini and spent the second half of the 2010/11 campaign on loan with Real Madrid.
City were reportedly reluctant to contribute to Adebayor's 170,000 pound-a-week wages, but are now believed to be negotiating a deal where the former Arsenal man's salary is split between the two clubs.
The apparently imminent arrival of Adebayor comes as Spurs striker Robbie Keane nears the White Hart Lane exit.
Manchester City need to sharpen up, warns Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini has warned his Manchester City players to cut out the errors if they want to be serious title contenders.
Mancini was unhappy at the manner in which his City side squandered a 2-0 lead to lose last Sunday’s Community Shield against United.
And while he accepts there may be a little pre-season rustiness in his squad, he won’t stand for any more slackness once the proper action gets under way.
City follow Monday night’s league opener at home to promoted Swansea with trips to Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham before the season takes its first international break.
Mancini believes it is vital to get off to a better start than last term, which saw the Blues pick up only four points from their opening three matches – drawing at Tottenham, beating Liverpool and losing at Sunderland.
“I think we made some mistakes last Sunday,” Mancini said. “When you are 2-0 up and you lose, then you have made some mistakes.
“It’s important we understand what mistakes we made so that we can improve.
“When you start the league season, the first 10 games are very, very difficult, because the squad is not yet 100 per cent ready.
“The squad needs a few games to find its form.
“It is also difficult when you start the season against a team who have just come up from the Championship, such as Swansea.
“Last year, West Brom and the other teams who came up from the Championship were very, very hard to play against in the first 10 games.
“It will be the same this year. Monday will probably be really difficult, because it’s an important game for Swansea – their first in the Premier League.
“I have watched Swansea many times and they play good football. They don’t play the long ball. They have good players.
“And Brendan Rodgers has done well because he has taken them up from the Championship playing good football. They will make it tough for us.
“But this is why the Premier League is difficult, because every game is hard.

Republic of Ireland and Tottenham striker Robbie Keane is on the verge of signing a two-year, £5m contract with Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy, subject to a medical. Fox Soccer
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has reportedly said goodbye to his team-mates as he heads for a return to Barcelona, though Gunners boss Arsene Wenger insists no-one is leaving the club. Daily Mirror
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has reportedly lined up a £35m bid for Colombian striker Radamel Falcao from Porto. Metro
Chelsea are ready to offer £15.7m plus an unnamed player to Porto for wing-back Alvaro Pereira who has a £25m release clause in his contract. Daily Mail
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has ruled out signing Valencia and Spain winger Juan Mata. Daily Mirror
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has blocked striker David Ngog's proposed £4m move to Bolton because he has not yet found a replacement for the Frenchman. Daily Mirror
Dalglish is not expected to succeed with a £10m bid for Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross.
Daily Mail
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has said this club will not go back into the transfer market before the end of the month, declaring "you can forget" the idea of Wesley Sneijder signing. Instead, he will place his trust in the emerging crop of young players at Old Trafford. the Guardian
Defender Jamie Carragher is desperate to get Liverpool back into the Champions League after their two-year absence. Talksport
Midfielder Joey Barton will start for Newcastle against Arsenal on Saturday after being brought back into the squad, despite being told he can leave on a free transfer. Daily Mail
Alex is poised to leave Chelsea in a £7.5m move to Juventus.
The Sun
Celtic boss Neil Lennon is furious he was not told about the ankle injury sustained by Beram Kayal on international duty for Israel in midweek.Daily Record
Tottenham outcast David Bentley has been left out of the 25-man squad for Europa League duty against Hearts next week.
Daily Mirror
Stoke midfielder Jermaine Pennant hid the fact that he had cosmetic surgery procedure to pin his ears back by telling family members he had "hit his head". Metro
New Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas jokes he will retire from football if he wins all four major trophies this season.
The Sun

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