Arsenal are still in the market

The Arsenal first team have lost two players in Robin van Persie and Alex Song this summer, but have strengthened with three international attackers. Reports differ on the accounting; some claim Arsenal are break even, others that they may have reached a profit of as much as £9m.

For new recruit Santi Cazorla, the money burns in the pocket. He's quoted in the Daily Star and the Daily Mirror:

"... there are still 10 days left in the market. I do not know if we will sign ­anyone, but obviously it’s important to replace players like that because they were important for the team.”

And the Spaniard got an almost immediate reply. Manager Arsène Wenger goes further than usual when confirming that Arsenal are still in the market.

"We are looking to bring one more midfielder in of course, and maybe one defender as well because we still feel we are short in some positions."

More often than not, comments like that mean that signings practically are in the bag already. Various media report that Nuri Sahin of Real Madrid is the midfielder in question. A loan with an option to buy looks to be consensus among the sports writers.

As for the defender, I can't help wondering if Wenger were to repeat his deadline day trick of last season. True to form he could bring in a former target who has just become available at a knock-down price... and might even solve the problem of having Nicklas Bendtner around London Colney.

Step up, Philippe Mexès of AC Milan, rumoured to be makeweight if the Italians are to replace Zlatan Ibrahimovic with just as much arrogance from across the Øresund bridge. Both the Sun and the Daily Mail report that the Danish and the French international could switch places before September.

He has been linked with Arsenal on and off for years, like in May 2010, or June 2003, or March 2011, or July 2007.

Mexès, now 30, is still a French international, but haven't impressed anyone at Milan. In his one and only season so far, he's played only 21 games. He's amassed 29 caps over 11 years, very much a backup choice at centre back. That's 8 caps more than Sébastien Squillaci, to make an obvious comparison.

But I hope that signing another Squillaci isn't what neither Cazorla nor Wenger have in mind.