France Soccer

Samir Nasri has announced on his personal blog that he will be transferring to Arsenal.  The French national will leave Marseille for a 4-year $31.6 million deal.  Nasri has been with Marseille since age 9.  Many consider him the next Zidane, though he saw action in only one game during the Euro 2008 soccer tournament.  France soccer professional leagues will miss his play.

Former French soccer player, Zinedine Zidane seems to be jockeying for former teammate Didier Deschamps as the next coach of the France national team.  ‘It’s true someone who could replace the current coach is clearly Didier Deschamps.  He’s got everything it takes. He knows the group, he knows football very well and I think it’s quite in order for him, one day, to take over.’

It is official: Claude Puel has taken over the reins of Lyon, leaving his former team in Lille.  There has already been a lot of transition around the Lyon clubhouse after winning the French soccer championship a few weeks ago.  The move became official after weeks of rumors of the transition in the press.  Many still believe that Puel will make wholesale changes to the team in the name of Champions League success.  At the press conference Puel did note, “The important thing is (the players) have technical ability but also an unbreakable spirit.”