Pablo Zabaleta hopes West Ham United decide to offer Samir Nasri, who is currently training with Manuel Pellegrini's squad, a contract.
Zabaleta was a team-mate of the former France international for six years during their time together at Manchester City.
Nasri last played a competitive fixture almost a year ago, in the Turkish Super Lig for Antalyaspor, and there are concerns that he will not be fit enough to cope with the rigours of the Premier League.
Zabaleta thinks differently though, saying: "Manuel [Pellegrini] knows Samir very well from his time at Manchester City.
"We need players with his quality, especially because also we lost two key players who brought quality into this team - Manuel Lanzini in the summer before the World Cup and then [Jack] Wilshere, who is very close to coming back to the team.
"On the ball [Nasri] is fantastic. He is one of those players who can give to the team some possession and play between the lines to help the attacking players to create chances.
"Hopefully he can reach his best fitness level. He has to feel physically good because we know that the Premier League is so demanding physically."
West Ham, 7/4 to finish in the top half of the Premier League this season, take on Manchester City this weekend. The Hammers are 5/1 to draw the match and 12/1 to keep a clean sheet in the encounter.
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Pablo Zabaleta hopes West Ham United decide to offer Samir Nasri, who is currently training with Manuel Pellegrini's squad, a contract.
Zabaleta was a team-mate of the former France international for six years during their time together at Manchester City.
Nasri last played a competitive fixture almost a year ago, in the Turkish Super Lig for Antalyaspor, and there are concerns that he will not be fit enough to cope with the rigours of the Premier League.
Zabaleta thinks differently though, saying: "Manuel [Pellegrini] knows Samir very well from his time at Manchester City.
"We need players with his quality, especially because also we lost two key players who brought quality into this team - Manuel Lanzini in the summer before the World Cup and then [Jack] Wilshere, who is very close to coming back to the team.
"On the ball [Nasri] is fantastic. He is one of those players who can give to the team some possession and play between the lines to help the attacking players to create chances.
"Hopefully he can reach his best fitness level. He has to feel physically good because we know that the Premier League is so demanding physically."
West Ham, 7/4 to finish in the top half of the Premier League this season, take on Manchester City this weekend. The Hammers are 5/1 to draw the match and 12/1 to keep a clean sheet in the encounter.
Source: bet365.com