Former Arsenal playmaker Samir Nasri believes the Gunners recruitment policy is to blame for their failure to land the top prize in England.

The French international joined Arsenal from Marseille in 2008 but left four years later for big-spending City with no silverware to mark his time in London. Since his move to Manchester, he has claimed two league titles and a League Cup winner’s medal.

‘I do not know. I do not know why they aren’t challenging,’ Nasri told French magazine Onze Mondial.

‘We must also take into account the fact that when I was in Arsenal, we did not fight on equal terms with Chelsea or Manchester United.

‘Arsenal made the choice to move to the Emirates Stadium, so there was the stadium to pay for. The bosses of the club have always wanted to have healthy finances, they never wanted to go into debt. So they obviously did not recruit like the others.

‘Since I left, they have won two Cups. They are trophies and all trophies are good to take.’

Now on loan at La Liga outfit Sevilla, Nasri also admitted that he remains in contact with his former boss despite irking fans with his departure from the club to arch-rivals Man City.

Arsenal last won the league in the 2003-04 when the Invincibles went throughout the season without a defeat.