Wenger hails Arsenal signing Monreal
Arsene Wenger has welcomed the arrival of Malaga left-back Nacho Monreal at Arsenal, admitting he is excited at the prospect of the Spain international lining up for the Gunners, according to ESPN.
Monreal moved to the Emirates Stadium late on transfer deadline day, sealing a move believed to be worth £8.5m with only a matter of hours left in the window. But he was signed in time to play for Arsenal against Stoke City on Saturday once the final pieces of paperwork are completed and lodged with the Premier League.
The 26-year-old is said to have signed a long-term deal with Arsenal but will not be available for the Champions League, having already played in the group stage for Malaga. Arsenal face Bayern Munich when the competition resumes in February.
Arsenal moved for Monreal after Kieran Gibbs suffered a thigh injury against Liverpool on Wednesday, potentially ruling him out of action for a month. With only Andre Santos at the club as a natural left-back, Wenger swooped for a player he revealed has been in his thinking for a while.
Wenger said: “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.
“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.”
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