Nasri reunites with Kompany to be an ‘example’ to Anderlecht’s youngsters

The 32-year-old was a free agent after his short-term contract with West Ham expired. He joined the London club in January, at the end of an 18-months doping ban, and made six appearances, the last one off the bench against Huddersfield in March.

Kompany, 33, has returned to his first club to take his first steps in coaching as player-manager. He left in 2006 for Germany before spending more than a decade in the Premier League.

Nasri’s career has included spells with City, Arsenal and Sevilla as well as 41 appearances for his country. He was banned for three games by the French football federation after insulting a journalist following France’s elimination by Spain at Euro 2012. He retired from the national team two years later.

“I made mistakes, I am a tenacious character, that’s maybe why you have seen bad things on the internet,” he said.

“Money is not the motivation, it is the sporting project, the fact of being able to work with a friend,” Nasri added.

He has signed a one-year deal with the option of a second season and admitted he would like to follow Kompany into coaching.

Nasri said becoming a father in 2018 changed him and made him want to pass on his experience having “recently matured”.

“I want to give back what I have learnt,” said.

“I wanted to stay in Europe with a project I found interesting and different,” he said of joining a squad in which more than half the PLAYERS are below the age of 25.

Anderlecht, record 34-time champions of Belgium, finished sixth in the league last season missing out on European football for the first time in 55 years.

“My aim and the club’s aim is to be champions and get back to the Champions League.”

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