MANCHESTER, England -- The latest Manchester City signing, Samir Nasri, says Arsenal can no longer afford to spend big in the transfer market, Sky Sports reported Tuesday.

Nasri completed his long-awaited move to City last week before making his debut in the weekend win at Tottenham.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, saw his side crumble in humiliating fashion at Manchester United with an 8-2 loss, but Nasri says that the club has to change.

The France international insisted that it was the right time for him to leave, telling l'Equipe, "Yes, it was [the right time to leave] -- there are sure signs. The departure of Cesc [Fabregas] to Barcelona is one of them. The defeat against Birmingham in the League Cup final was very harmful for the minds."

He added, "Arsenal remains a big club, but the building of Emirates Stadium changed a lot of things. It has changed the ambitions, so far. But it is not Arsene Wenger -- it is the club's politics, the officials. Arsenal doesn't have the same funds. They can't make the same coups as before in the transfer market. They are rather forced to sell their best players and bet on young ones."

Read more: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,,11670_7138491,00.html