Wenger FINALLY buys as Arsenal manager lands £8.3m Malaga defender Monreal
Arsenal pulled off a coup with an £8.3million move for Malaga left back Nacho Monreal while manager Arsene Wenger will revive his interest in Barcelona striker David Villa in the summer.The 26-year-old arrived in London to complete his move to the Emirates Stadium after Gunners officials finalised the deal with Malaga officials in the afternoon.
Sportsmail revealed how Wenger would make a move for a new left-back on transfer deadline day after Kieran Gibbs was ruled out for three weeks with a thigh injury.
Done deal: Arsenal are set to complete the signing of Nacho Monreal
The defender has signed a four-and-a-half year deal worth in the region of £50,000-per-week.
Wenger 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.
'Monreal is a strong left-sided defender with good experience at both club and international level. 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.'
In a meeting at the club's London Colney HQ on Monday, Wenger and chief executive Ivan Gazidis agreed they would not pursue any players, apart from Villa, during the closing stages of the transfer window.
On the move: The defender is in London putting the final touches on his £8.5m transfer to the Emirates
The full-back arrives in the Premier League with an impressive reputation from his native Spain.
Monreal, a former Osasuna academy graduate, signed for Malaga for £6million in 2011 after making an impression with his hometown club, for whom he made 127 appearances.
He made his debut for Spain in a 2009 friendly against Macedonia and has gone on to win nine caps for the national side.
Monrea has also been compared to Barcelona's excellent left-back Jordi Alba.
Wenger's quick decision to sign a new left-back stems from fears over the form of Andre Santos, Gibbs' replacement.
Injured: Kieran Gibbs faces three weeks on the sidelines with a thigh injury
And it is clear that Wenger feels the prospect of going into the next three weeks with Santos as his only recognised left-back as too risky.
However, Monreal will be ineligible for Arsenal's Champions League double-header against Bayern Munich.
Wenger is likely to partner Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker in central-defence and shift Thomas Vermaelen out to left-back for the clash against the German giants.
Wenger still harboured small hope of clinching a deal to bring Villa to London. But it became clear their top January target would not be obtainable by mid-morning as Barcelona continued to resist Arsenal's overtures.
'Jealous': Catherine Zeta-Jones chats to Ellen DeGeneres about her husband Michael Douglas kissing Matt Damon in their upcoming film on her talk show on Wednesday
Lovers: The two actors share love scenes in the new HBO film Behind The Candelabra
Glad: The Welsh actress says if she could pick any male co-star for her husband to kiss it would be Damon
Swap notes: Catherine suggests that Ellen should swap notes with Michael after the talk show host tells her that she has kissed Damon before
Looking good: Catherine looks great in a maroon lace shift dress for her appearance on the show
Opening up: Catherine opens up about her and her husband's health issues on the show
Having a hula of a time: Catherine also shows Ellen how she keeps in shape with her new work-out routine of Hula Hooping

Having a ball: The pair have a ball doing the exercise on live television
Flamboyant: Michael will hit our screens as the legendary music icon, Liberace in HBO movie, Behind the Candelabra
His side of the story: Matt Damon will play Liberace's lover Scott Thorson
Happy couple: Catherine and Michael pose together at an event in September 2012
Too big for her boots: Suri Cruise stepped out in knee-high leather flat boots and a furry coat as she visited the Shake Shack with her mother Katie Holmes in New York on Wednesday
Little fashionista: Her snazzy boots and pink coat were paired with a more age appropriate grey pinafore dress and white shirt worn underneath
Follow the leader: The actress walked ahead of her daughter whilst she held her hand, and in the other she carried a collection of Suri's toys
Chauffeured: Suri and Katie were ferried to the milkshake parlour by a large SUV
Dressed down: Katie had dressed down for the outing in a pair of black wide-leg trousers and her new favourite jacket, an army-green parka with fur-lined collar
High heels at four: Suri caused controversy when she stepped out in a pair of high heels at the age of four
New campaign: Katie has just signed up to work with Alterna Haircare
Foot Locker - Mirror feat. James Harden + Kris Humphries
Harden fast rule: A member of James' entourage is shown being warned he could pay the penalty for wearing uncool trainers
Inferior position: It then cuts to a picture of his old lackey being forced to watch Kris Humphries trying on clothes
Cool guy: His unenthusiastic toady is then forced to lather the NBA journeyman with praise
Footing the bill: Foot Locker will have paid a pretty penny to get the stars to promote their chain

New look: Jennifer Lopez wore her hair in a severe top knit for lunch in Beverly Hills on Tuesday
Hair-story: The singer and actress appeared to have scraped her tresses back as much as possible to style the bun
Sticking to one colour: The 43-year-old wore an all-white outfit of long-sleeved top, wide-leg trousers and chunky waist belt

Making the most of her day off: Jennifer has been busy promoting her new movie so was clearly enjoying a break to have lunch at Bouchon

Redhead bed-head? Alyson Hannigan was all smiles and big hair on a post-breakfast stroll with her husband Alexis Denisof and baby daughter Keeva in Brentwood Tuesday
Pump up the volume: After emerging from Cafe Luxxe with her family, the 38-year-old funnywoman's thick red tresses began blowing in the wind
Missing one: Not seen Tuesday was the couple's three-year-old daughter Satyana, who might already be attending kindergarten

Longtime pair: The acting couple, who met on the set of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary last October
Alyson's mini-me: Last weekend, the entire family hit up the Beverly Hills Chanel shop and their three-year-old daughter Satyana stole the show in a vibrant purple-and-red party dress