Samir Nasri could make his West Ham debut as early as next week having agreed to join West Ham on a short-term basis.
The former Manchester City and Arsenal midfielder has been training with the Hammers for several weeks and will officially become a Hammers on January 1 when the winter transfer window opens.And according to reports from inside the club, Nasri - who most recently featured for Antalyaspor in Turkey's Superlig - could be set to make his debut against Brighton & Hove Albion in Stratford next week.
Manuel Pellegrini moved to sign the recently-banned 31-year-old after losing the likes of Carlos Sanchez, Manuel Lanzini and Jack Wilshere to long-term injury.
The French midfielder has been out of football since being handed a six-month ban by FIFA in Fabruary 2018, after he was discovered to have received an intravenous drip in breach of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s rules.
At the beginning of the current season Nasri's ban was extended by an additional 12 months following an appeal by UEFA's ethics and disciplinary inspector - although his ban is due to end in January 2019 as it was backdated to July 2017.
Speaking in November, Manuel Pellegrini admitted that he was keen to sign Nasri as soon as possible. "He is working with us after a long time with his ban and we are giving him a hand to return to football," he said.
"I hope he will be fit between now and and the end of the year and if he is we will try to sign him."
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