Arsenal, Newcastle & QPR transfer deadline day signings

Transfer deadline day brings up the most unlikely of news whilst putting to bed rumours that have outstayed their welcome, in this January’s transfer window the Premier League racked up £120m of signings with several big clubs doing all the talking.

Arsenal transfer rumours plagued the back pages for the entire month of January and although fans were left perplexed by the failure to sign David Villa of Barcelona and Mo Diame of West Ham, one off-the-cuff transfer made up for any displeasure.

Arsene Wenger made Spanish international defender Nacho Monreal from Malaga his only incoming transfer at £8.5m, to cover Kieran Gibbs who has earned his spot as the first-choice left back this season.

The 26-year-old, who has nine caps for Spain will rejoin former Malaga teammate Santi Cazorla, who made the same move in the summer, and fellow countryman Mikel Arteta after passing a medical last night.

Wenger expressed his delight at reaching an agreement with Malaga for Monreal, he told the club website: “We are delighted that Nacho Monreal has agreed to join us. We have been monitoring him for some time now and are really pleased that we’ve been able to agree this move today.

“He is a technically gifted player, a good crosser in the final third and strong in the air. Monreal will add quality to our squad and of course, to our defensive unit. We all look forward to him playing for us.”

Arsenal weren’t the only club to made additions to their squad as Alan Pardew, in a post-Ba age, went all for broke and brought in five new transfers this January that amounted to £22m.

Alan Pardew said kind words about the Newcastle United’s board after it sanctioned the multiple signings from France this month, which included that of Moussa Sissoko, Yoan Gouffran, Mathieu Debuchy and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

Commenting on his new fleet of French-speaking signings Pardew said: “There has been a lot of work and effort to get that win, not just from the staff and the players, but the directors and [Newcastle managing director] Derek Llambias.

“It was obvious when Demba Ba went, in the position we were in, it was a blow to the personality of the team. But the new players have given us a lift.

Meanwhile back in London Harry Redknapp drew first blood in the transfer market when he agreed to sign Christopher Samba for a club record fee from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala.

The man-mountain defender, formally of Blackburn, joined the Premier League outfit for £12m and is believed to be QPR’s highest paid player on a wage of £100,00 per week.

QPR also successfully landed Tottenham midfielders Jermaine Jenas and Andros Townsend, while midfielder Alejandro Faurlin exited the club to join Italian side Palermo on loan.

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