West Ham's first January signing? Pellegrini says the club will decide next week

West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini says the club will make a decision over  Samir Nasri ‘next week’.

The former Arsenal and Manchester City midfielder has been training with the Hammers since last month in a bid to regain fitness, having served an 18-month doping ban.

Should West Ham sign Nasri? Five things to know…

1. Samir Nasri has 215 Premier League appearances under his belt from his spells with Arsenal and Man City.
2. The 41-time France international most recently played for Antalyaspor in Turkey.
3. However, the 31-year-old has been serving an 18-month doping ban, which comes to an end in the new year.
4. Nasri has been training with West Ham over the past month in a bid to keep fit and get a contract.
5. Pellegrini has been pleased with his efforts and says the club will decide on his future ‘next week’.

The former France midfielder most recently played for Turkish club Antalyaspor, before his contract was terminated in January 2018, and has worked with Pellegrini previously during their time together at Manchester City.

The Chilean coach has now provided an update on Nasri’s progress, saying: “We’re going to take the decision next week. Samir is working with us well, he is losing weight, his mentality is to try and have a spot here with the squad.”

Nasri’s signing would be a big boost to Pellegrini’s squad, with the Hammers already without Carlos Sanchez, Manuel Lanzini and Jack Wilshere in the midfield department.

West Ham face Watford at home on Saturday looking to extend their run of four straight victories.

READ MORE: How Robert Snodgrass is slowly becoming one of West Ham’s most important players

Why was Samir Nasri banned from football?

Nasri was banned, initially for six months in 2016 for using an intravenous drip treatment that contravened World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) rules, leading to a Spanish Anti-Doping investigation.

Then on loan at Sevilla, the Spanish club requested a retroactive therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for Nasri in 2017 but it was refused by Uefa, with the ban being extended to 18 months.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport later upheld the decision.

The post West Ham to make Nasri decision next week, says Pellegrini appeared first on Squawka News.

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