Going in to yesterday, we had all but signed both Andre Santos and Per Mertesacker, subject to formal registration processes, and had officially signed South Korean striker Park Chu-Young the previous day. However, Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas were yet to be replaced in the heart of midfield and Arsenal fans were crying out for an experienced creative midfielder to lead the line that had been so tepid during the 8-2 loss to United – but what were the Ins and Outs on the notoriously unpredictable deadline day?
Outgoing transfers
credit to Zimbio.com
The only permanent outgoing transfer was that of 20 year old forward Gilles Sunu to Lorient, the club he spent last season on loan at. However, while the presence of superstar striker Kevin Gameiro limited his appearances, he has gone back:
“I have signed for four years with Lorient,” Sunu told Belgian RTBF. ”My desire was to join Lorient in order to play. My objective for the season, if I play up front, would be to score 10 goals, and if I play on the wing, to score goals and make some decisive passes.”
- Joel Campbell, who we speculated would go on loan to PSV or Lille will also spend the season alongside Sunu at Lorient but on loan; he has no work permit to play for Arsenal.
- Another reserve player who will leave for a season’s loan is Henri Lansbury, with the 20 year old midfielder set to play in the Championship with Sam Allardyce’s promotion favourites West Ham United.
- Finally, in undoubtedly the biggest Arsenal departure on deadline day, out of favour striker Nicklas Bendtner has agreed to spend the season on loan at Sunderland despite interest from Stoke and Porto.
Incoming transfers
As the day progressed we formalised the transfers of Per Mertesacker and Andre Santos with their pictures and interviews already available on the Arsenal website. In regard to failed transfer rumours, former Arsenal target Gary Cahill was the subject of late Spurs bids but ending up staying at Bolton, Scott Dann went to Blackburn Rovers, Eljero Elia was sold to to Juventus and Mauro Zarate ended up at Inter Milan.
credit to expressandstar.com/the guardian
As the clock kept ticking down, the first credible rumours as to Arsenal signing a midfielder materialised at 7 p.m. when it was reported that Arsenal were working on a permanent move for Everton midfield general Mikel Arteta and a surprise loan move for Chelsea reject, the Israeli maestro Yossi Benayoun. Yet two hours later, all reports indicated that the Arteta transfer had broken down due to a discrepancy over personal terms, with the 29 year old wanting at least an £80,000-a-week four year contract.
However, it was reportedly shortly after that the Arteta transfer would go ahead and Yossi Benayoun’s move was completed first around 10.30 p.m. The Arteta move went right to the wire, with common knowledge that a £10 million fee had agreed and that the midfielder had incredibly agreed to accept a £10,000-a-week pay from his £80k wages at Everton to join us, but as the deadline passed it was unclear whether the paperwork had been submitted on time for the move to go ahead; Arsenal announced shortly after that everything was in order and that both players would join the club.
Andre Santos
Mertesacker
Benayoun
Arteta
This splendid club is becoming a laughing stock. We have a manager who has totally lost the plot and a management who can’t manage.
They went out against ManU without any sort of discernable defensive plan and were humiliated and then a few days later there they were in the transfer market, again without an obvious plan, buying whoever was available as cheaply as possible at the very last minute. It’s pathetic.
They have known for ages they would need replacements and seem to have done nothing, they need real quality but have spent only half of what they have received
adding not one penny of additional funding to the transfer proceeds pot.
I am beginning to despair of Wenger and tire of his all too familiar excuses. I honestly cannot see Arsenal finishing in the top four perhaps not in the top six or seven. Lets see some fresh blood and fresh thinking (Ferguson seems able to do it)
say David Moyes who appears able to keep the Everton ship afloat with no funds at all
and have his teams play entertaining football.
Regards