Arsenal have coughed up big to land Olympique Marseille attacker Samir Nasri.

The Sun says the Gunners have shelled out £15.8million for the promising playmaker, 20, who has put pen to paper on a four-year deal at The Emirates.

A statement on the player's personal website read: "We inform you that Samir won't be an Olympique de Marseille player next season and that he has signed a four-year contract with London club Arsenal."

He has spent the last four seasons at the Stade Velodrome and came to prominence in France's Under-17 European Championship side in 2004. Nasri can play on either wing and won the French first division's Young Player of the Year award in 2007.

He is seen as the ideal replacement for Alex Hleb, who looks set to leave the Gunners this summer, with Barcelona and Inter Milan all credited with an interest in the Belarusian.