Arsenal were one of the busiest teams in the Premier League on transfer deadline day.
The Gunners managed to bring in four players into the currently threadbare squad.
The arrival of Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker, Andre Santos and Yossi Benayoun will no doubt strengthen the Gunners squad.
The big question is has Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger done enough to keep the club in top four of the Premier League this season?
Midfielders
The players that Arsenal have signed are good players, there is no question about that. However they have lost two world-class midfielders in the shape of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas. Their replacements are not quite in the same league.
Spaniard Mikel Arteta will be seen as his compatriots replacement. At £10million he hasn’t cost the club a major fee. At 29 years of age, he has stated he felt like he needed to take this opportunity to play Champions League football.
When he is in top form Arteta is an outstanding player. Unfortunately in the last 18 months he has looked disinterested and stale at Goodison Park. He has never recovered from an injury he picked up at Newcastle in January 2009. Arteta has also endured injury problems in recent months.
This move was a good one for everyone really. Arteta definitely needed something to change for him to rediscover his best form, Everton needed the money and Arsenal needed a creative player to attempt to fill the gap in their midfield.
Yossi Benayoun has always been an underrated player in my opinion. In fact I believe that the Israeli could be a better signing than Arteta. The 31 year-old midfielder has got good vision and is capable of producing a match winning moment.
His time at Chelsea was dogged by injury and he made just 11 appearances for the Blues. He is however now fit and playing again. Signing Benayoun on a loan deal could be a masterstroke from Arsene Wenger.
Defenders
Wenger has finally signed some much needed defensive reinforcements. Arsenal have been crying out for a commanding centre-back and Per Mertesacker could be the answer to Arsenal fans prays. The giant German endured a nightmare year at Werder Bremen last season.
The club struggled and Mertesacker was made a scapegoat for that poor season. However, before last season he was highly rated and was tracked by some Europe’s biggest names. Mertesacker has all the attributes that Arsenal have been crying out for.
He is big, strong and commanding. He also has good leadership qualities, which have been badly missing from the Arsenal team for a long time. I have no doubts that the German international will go on to prove a key signing for the Gunners this season.
Full-back Andre Santos has arrived from Fenerbahce. The 28 year-old is very much a typical Brazilian full-back, he is considered better at going forward than defending. However from the little I have seen of Santos he is a decent defender.
He has quite a bit of European experience, having represented Fenerbahce in European competition. Arsenal definitely needed a replacement for the departed Gael Clichy, with Kieran Gibbs currently struggling with injuries. Arsenal could have done a lot worse than Santos.
Stronger
Arsenal fans must feel like the future is slightly brighter after the new additions. The Gunners now look stronger than they did before the transfer deadline day. Arsenal fans may have wanted different players to arrive on deadline day but they will now have to accept that the Gunners squad is complete, at least until January anyway.
Doubtful
I really believe that Arsenal will struggle to finish in the top four of the Premier League this season. The loss of Fabregas and Nasri was a major blow and without truly world-class additions Arsenal will struggle.
The Gunners will now have to rely on youngsters like Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey to drive the team on from midfield. If Arteta can stay fit and rediscover his best form then he may be able to drive Arsenal forward, but that’s a big if.
Struggle
I really like Arsenal and their boss Arsene Wenger. However I believe yesterday’s transfer business was too little too late if the Gunners want to keep their place at the top table of English football. I would like to see the gunners finish in the Champions League spots this season. At the moment though it seems very unlikely.
Have Arsenal made good signings on deadline day?
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