Samir Nasri has found himself in huge trouble in France as he faces an eye-watering bill following a detailed probe into his historical earnings and tax declarations.
The Frenchman, now 38 years old, earned a huge amount of money in his career. Starting off his career at Marseille, Nasri made the move to English shores in 2008 when he joined Arsenal.
After three successful seasons in north London, Nasri made the £25m move to Manchester City. He spent six years with the Citizens, where he earned as much as £150,000-per-week, per Capology.
He had short spells at Sevilla, Antalyaspor, West Ham and Anderlercht before retiring from the sport in 2020. Six years on from hanging up his boots, Nasri has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in France.
Samir Nasri at Centre of Tax Dispute
Samir Nasri celebrates scoring for Arsenal against West Brom.
Nasri, now 38 years old, is now facing an eye-watering €5 million bill following a tax dispute in France.
According to Goal, the investigation focuses on a specific period in Nasri's career, with authorities suspecting discrepancies in the reporting of his income and image rights.
The dispute centres around Nasri's claim of being a tax resident in Dubai. French authorities are contesting his status, arguing that the 'center of vital interest' for the former Manchester City star remains in France. To support this, they have pointed to his ownership of three French properties and travel data obtained from airlines.
Records suggest that he spent 42 to 124 days he spent in the UAE, while he spent between 126 and 208 days per year in France.
Authorities have even gone as far as tracking his eating habits, noting that in 2022, he had 212 meals delivered in Paris via Deliveroo.
French Authorities Take Action Against Nasri
Samir Nasri left ‘shaken’ following incident with Arsenal fan during 1-0 win vs Man City
Samir Nasri left ‘shaken’ following incident with Arsenal fan during 1-0 win vs Man City
French authorities have moved to seize several properties owned by the former footballer. These properties are currently being held as collateral pending the completion of legal proceedings. Nasri's bank accounts are also said to have been frozen.
According to Le Soir, Nasri 'strongly contests' the tax assessment, and is attempting to prove that his largest source of income comes from his career abroad and that his financial base remains international.
Nasri's battle to protect his assets from the French Treasury is likely to go on for some time with a conclusion not yet reached.
The former Arsenal and Manchester City midfielder has become a pundit since hanging up his boots, appearing regularly on Canal+. He is also a big fan of Padel and has posted numerous images of him playing and watching the sport on his Instagram account.