Jaime Reina/AFP/Getty ImagesNacho Monreal, left, swooped in to the Emirates under the radar.

So, after I'd written off any chances of Arsenal signing anyone on transfer deadline day, at approximately 11:01 p.m. there was confirmation the club had been able to complete the deal to sign Spanish left back Nacho Monreal.

In many ways it felt like a typical Arsene Wenger signing. There had been no mention of Monreal's name in the whole of January and the news came out of nowhere with a few hours to go before the window shut. More out of hope than expectation, I had a feeling that if Arsenal were going to sign any player, it was unlikely to be someone who had been strongly linked to the club. Arsenal like to do their transfer business quietly, so while it was unexpected that Arsenal did complete a deal, the fact it was kept quiet isn’t surprising.

- Wilkes: Nacho no panic signing

Wenger said on signing Monreal that the club had been monitoring the player for a while, and it does make the fans wonder why Arsenal waited until the last day of the window to get the deal done. However, if Monreal was a longer-term transfer target, the deal could have been accelerated because of the injury suffered by Kieran Gibbs Wednesday night against Liverpool.

Even though Monreal will be cup-tied from playing in the Champions League against Bayern Munich, with Gibbs out he is likely to go straight into the team on arriving. Andre Santos’ erratic displays should have been a cause for concern for Wenger (they certainly were for fans), but it’s now difficult to see how the Brazilian will get a game as it’s likely that he’ll be behind Monreal and Gibbs in the pecking order.

With the Turkish transfer window not yet shut, there could yet be a return to that league for Santos. If he doesn’t leave the club at this stage, the Monreal signing definitely suggests that his days at the club are numbered.

The only strange element of buying Monreal for me is that it will be interesting to see whom Wenger considers his first-choice left back. At the age of 26, having played regularly for Malaga and being a Spanish international, it’s not unreasonable to suggest Monreal hasn’t come to Arsenal to sit on the bench. He’ll view it as a great chance to establish himself as a regular starter at a stage of his career where any player would hope to be playing regularly.

Even though Arsenal’s defence hasn’t covered itself in glory much of the season, Gibbs has been one of the brighter sparks in the back four. All aspects of his game have improved, and he’s developing a good relationship with Lukas Podolski when making overlapping runs to help with attacks. My only fear is Monreal’s arrival could mean Gibbs’ career takes a backward step, which would be a shame for someone who has worked so hard to recover from various injuries.

However, that leads to another reason for Monreal being a good signing. As good as Gibbs is or can become, his injury record isn’t great, so the likelihood is Monreal will still play plenty even if he isn’t considered the first-choice left back.

Questions will persist the rest of the season whether Wenger should have strengthened other areas of the squad, and multiple signings would have been welcomed by supporters. Although, having resigned myself to seeing no arrivals at the Emirates, for Arsenal to have bought a player who should improve the squad is no bad thing.

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Email