OFFICIAL: Arsenal make one winter signing – Spanish left-back Monreal
At last we can reveal Arsene Wenger has made one January signing – introducing Spanish international and now former Malaga left back Nacho Monreal.
His real name may well not be Nacho (but Ignacio) but he is one tasty acquisition. Kieran Gibbs is certainly Arsenal’s first choice left-back, but his backup Andre Santos is a calamity at best and should never take the field for an important Gunners fixture, let alone a Premier League fixture against Liverpool. However despite the acquisition of Monreal, Wenger will still be short for the UCL clash with Bayern Munich in early February as the Spaniard is cup-tied after featuring in the competition with his former side.
Wenger told Arsenal’s official 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.
The deal is subject to the completion of formal registration processes.
Here are ten interesting facts about Arsenal’s one and only winter signing:
1. Born in Pamplona on February 26, 1986.
2. Began his career at Osasuna and made 127 appearances.
3. Made his international debut in a 3-2 friendly win over Macedonia in 2009.
4. Has nine international caps to his name.
5. Linked with a move to Liverpool in 2011 when reports emerged former director of football strategy Damien Comolli was scouting him.
6. Signed for Malaga in 2011, where he helped them qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history.
7. His real name is not Nacho, shock horror, but Ignacio.
8. Will be cup tied in the Champions League.
A quality leftback has been on the cards for awhile since Clichy left and only Santos was brought in. Don’t get me wrong though the Brazilian’s future at the Emirates is not over yet as he can still be utilized as a left winger if required as he does possess some attacking magic.
What are your thoughts on the acquisition of Mr Nacho Monreal? Feel free to comment below..
Category: Arsenal News, News Feed, Transfer Rumours
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Just one miserable signing, really disapionted
Hot debate. What do you think?
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I am absolutely delighted, I honestly didn’t expect anyone, just more disappointment, but Montreal is a player I’ve seen and heard of on quite a few occasions over the last couple of years. He is a great addition to the squad and I think he’s much better than no one.
Anyone who seriously thought arsenal were going to buy villa, move tic, cavani or hummels were deluding themselves – Wenger was never going to buy them. I thought the best we’d get was diame, so Monreal is a real bonus.
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Sam – You should be asking WHY Wenger “was never going to buy them”. Certainly wasn’t because of lack of funds. So you can’t use that as an excuse, though the A.K.B.S would still like to. Diame would have been “better than no-one” too, ( though he’s not world class ). He would have made a handy backup. But even 3.5 million was apparently too much for us to pay.
Gourcuff. Remember him ? Wenger praised and wanted him at one stage, and he was available to bring in in THIS window. And he IS top notch quality. But The Senile One wouldn’t even consider a LOAN option for him. And he tells us there is no-one out there that could improve our team ??! No-one in Europe that could do a better job than the ones we have now ? Demba Ba for example, wouldn’t have added to the squad at all ? What crap he talks.
He’s taking you mugs for a ride, and the price we’ll pay for that is another season of frustration and non accomplishment.I read that we need to win ten of our ( remaining ) fourteen matches to reach your ( not mine ) coveted fourth place target. Can you honestly see us doing that with the thin squad and weak management we currently have ? And no Van Persie this time to do most of the rescue work for us, because he’s now helping United to cruise to the title, isn’t he ?
Finishing 5th or worse would be the best thing that could happen to us. Apart from the possibility at least, of Wenger going, the board would be forced to re-examine their priorities and strategy.It could just shake the club out of its apathetic complacency.
” In Arsene we rust.”
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Wenger and The Board of director should provide us a finincial report on how the money is been spent… This is truly bad..after all the rumors..poor wenger and dead board of directors
Hot debate. What do you think?
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The boo boys are out in force but I could’t be more pleased.None of us saw this coming,a real quality player.To be fair we could have done with maybe one more.
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a LB isnt enough, a defensive midfielder and a striker should have been bought also, arsenal will strugle to make champions league next season beacause the the team doesnt have enough strength and depth.
just say if giroud or walcott are injured long term then where is the cover ?????, truth is their is no decent cover, the OX can surely cover walcott but as for the striker they will big time strugle.
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GunZ BlaziN – Good to see someone else also has insight.I suppose the myopic A.K.B.’s will be creaming their pants over this signing, though.
“In Arsene we rust.”
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No we made another one because you know Diaby is so reliable with his injuries now he’s like a new signing. Wake up Arsene the whole middle of the defense is average, Sagna is maybe a middle of the pack RBs and we still don’t have a proper DM. Nevermind that Scz has no competition so he doesn’t have a reason to get better – more flapping at crossing and Cruyff turns in the box?
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Exceeded my expectations because I expected there to be no signings and well done to Arsene for keeping the press off the trail but it is the bare minimum that was required. Anyway, let’s be optimistic, he’s second only to the excellend Jordi Alba in the Spanish national set-up so I expect that he’s quite good. Certainly likely to be a big improvement on Santos. He will probably put pressure on Gibbs for the left back position when Gibbs comes back just as Jenkinson is putting pressure on Sagna.
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Charlie – “Bare minimum that was required” ? Nope. Bare minimum was four.And from the lack of signings, the bare minimum ( fourth place ) is all we aim for.Ironically Wenger’s blind faith in his “best ever squad” and wilful refusal to act, could well end up with us not even “achieving” that.
You could look at it this way; Santos was a panic last day signing ( sound familiar ? ), who should not have been purchased in the first place!!! Whoever scouted him didn’t do their job properly, as he turned out to be one of worst players ever.So bringing in Nacho is more like repairing damage caused by our earlier incompetence.
And as I said, OVERALL we’re no better off. But to the gullible ones, it makes Wenger look like he’s doing something, when it’s merely a pea and thimble type sleight of hand.
“In Arsene we rust.”
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andre santos, only player who can convince arsen winger to buy new player, dat is histry but i think what we really need is defencive midfelder dat is were we get problem, how i wish we have buy one @list can go front n help our atack.
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U mean to tell me we could of had a villa but we got a snack. Just joking welcome to arsenal the club that lets u know the real if u do good we let know if your f…ing up let know we just real which u the best.
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Wish* lol
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I’m actually optimistic about Monreal signing. At least we won’t have to look Santos in Premiership and FA Cup.
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Bayern Munich are waiting to humiliate you (WENGER) not Arsenal.
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