Aug 31
Arsenal sign Arteta, Benayoun, Mertesacker & Santos on Deadline Day

Arsenal have completed the signings of Mikel Arteta, Yossi Benayoun, Per Mertesacker and Andre Santos on Transfer Deadline Day.
After a frenetic day filled with high expectations and tensions, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger managed to secure the services of two new defenders and two midfielders – with Arteta joining minutes before the 11pm (BST) deadline.
Wenger, criticised by the fans for not investing in the team after the departures of defender Gael Clichy and midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, acquired South Korea captain Park Ju-Young from Monaco earlier in the week.
“It is a big opportunity for me and my family and I think it is the right time for me to take it,” new-boy Arteta told Everton’s official website.
“It is a big challenge, a different challenge, fresh for me and I want to see myself on the biggest stage, the Champions League.
Arteta, 29, has the ability to play centrally or on either flank which will provide Wenger with some useful versatility, although it would be a surprise if, after the sale of Fabregas, the Frenchman sees Arteta as anything other than a central midfielder.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have agreed to play Werder Bremen in a pre-season friendly next summer, in a move which was agreed as part of the deal that brought Per Mertesacker to north London.

With thanks to Gunnerblog for the above image.







At last the GUNNERS are in shape for this season,thanks to united,am so happy with the signing.
Ok, give it up people, why don’t you!!!
We’ve had nearly 2 months of transfer frustration and moaning. Time to move on. Look for the positives. The weekend’s game undoubtedly helped today’s dealings and despite anyone’s view that we have panic bought, we have got experienced internationals and at least 2 PL players. According to The Merse that’s a total of 3 since Wenger started.
My thoughts on the game at OT was that belief destroyed us. Well, if that’s true, then these signings will address this. Players like Jenkinson and AOT will feel less pressure and integrate better. Those who should do better (Arshavin, Chammach) should feel more pressure to perform to the standards we expect.
All in al, a step forwards. Let’s not get carried away and talk of PL titles…. No ones caught up MU since us many years ago.
But cups and top 4 would see us back from the horror of extinction which moist other fans have been relishingnthe thought of.
Well, scr*w them…. We back!!!!
See you all at the Swansea game……
Kind of mixed feelings: happy to have especially Aterta and Met. Still thinking why not this before the united game, and why not Chamakh on loan but Bendtner? NB52 is miles better than Chamakh. Smiling anyway!
I knew arsenal will reload its arsenals. Up wenger. Man.u and liv.pul pls come around now
love the fact that one samir nasri cover all the costs of all 5 of our signings.
what day i can not sleep thinking of hower next line up
its like a dream team lol what you all think next line up going to look like
i think formation will be the one of the old days 4-4-1-1 with vp playing a Bergkamp roll mertesacker is the new Martin Keown we all know vermaelen is the new adams santos the new and better winterburn lol I also think vermaelen should be capptain
Szczesny
Santos Vermaelen(c) (if fit) Mertesacker Sagna
Ramsey Arteta Wilshere(if fit ) Ramsey
van Persie
Park
Fucking hell. What a day!
5 five players in 2 day, nice 1.
People, its better but not good enough, these signings came way to late, Arteta and Mertesackr is great, the rest is average/unknown. But at least AW tried, but the jury is still out…..
Thank God at last we really make it,seeing new faces at emirate really motivate me nd give all d fans a greate hope,much thank’s to Mr.wenger & d board menbers,up gunner’s.
i am not happy, extremely satisfied yes, but not happy. we got two pretty solid players in midfield and finally strong defence. we are not short in any department now, which is always positive.
how i wish alex or samba joined us too … oh well, there is always january
@chris why didnt you answer any of my questions on malouda and alex yesterday? i posted like 25984954 questions. what happened?
Scezsney
sagna Mertasacker Vermaelen Santos
Ramsey Wilshire Arteta
Gervinho
Walcott Van Persie
I think wenger should try something like this. as his starting 11 with park, Arshavin, Chamakh, Benayoun and co giving this new arsenal team great strength in depth wat do you guys think…
Andre Santos Exclusive – youtube.com/watch?v=VhlRf_
i think Ramsey would be on the bench because Song is clearly the number one CDM
@fred1266: thats true. however arsenal gave lost the flairr they once had. Wilshire can offer defensive abilities aswell as offenisive whereas song can only defend. However our defence is much stronger this year so a defence based holding midfielder will no longer be nessacary
I think we’re more balanced this year. Samir and Cesc was a big loss but Samir was playing out wide for us anyway, when Cesc was fit, and that is not his best position. With Gervinho, we have a much better wide player. But we cannot kid ourselves, that Arteta is a like for like replacement for Cesc. Let’s just hope that the loss of Cesc can bring about the same effect that Henry did because we were over reliant on both of these players.
USMANOV
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Awesome! Can’t get any worse at least……Come on you Goons. If these don’t work out, there’s surely the January transfer window coming up in no time….Do follow me on twitter ( @iamyesboss ) so we talk some more Gooner stuff. Before matches, during and after. Nice job Chris.
arteta and benayoun are not to replace Cesc, they are to help Wilshere and Ramsey replace and/or be better than Cesc.
@goonerfat: It’s going to show- teuth is these are really average players… not hating bu tthere is no real quality there. Arteta is good but nowhere near to cesc or samir! Should have got Sergi Roberto from Barca, cheap and he not got a place ther but he is better buy (age, potential) than arteta
Thanx for buying new players wenger but i new players new formation and strategy so how do u lyk my idea
_______scezney_______
sagna__TV5__MET__santos
_________song_________
gervinho__arteta__walcott
_____park_
_RVP_______
SUBS-benayoun
-ramsey
-fabiansky
-chamakh
-kocielney
-jenkinson
-djourou
@Mystery 2.0:
#
nice but not great
____________scezney_________
sagan___Vermaelen____Met____santos
____________song____________
Wilshere__arteta__walcott
________rvp__________
________park_________
SUBS-benayoun
-ramsey
-Mannone
-chamakh
-kocielney
-jenkinson
-gervinho
@Mystery 2.0: I actually kinda lyk that set-up. it looks very affective
@stetopgun: Wilshire on the left Walcott on the right
Gervinho is for the starting line-up on the right, Walcott/Park on the left. Arteta/Ramsey, Song and Wilshere in the middle. With the back four as expected- TV5, PM4, Santos and Sagna… Sounds good…
@stetopgan gervinho is perfect for the wing wilshere doesnt hav as much stamina bt afta seein park and RVPs performances ova the weekend i agree park plays ahead of RVP
Arsenal new players Arteta and Benayoun are injury prone,therefore they may contribute less to the development of the club.