.... aaaaand: CUT!

So the transfer window closes again. I fully expect the first rumours of exciting Arsenal transfers in the summer to pop up in newspapers and on their websites tomorrow morning.

But Arséne Wenger has his buying-internationals-under-the-radar-mojo back in the European transfer market! Arsenal's new left back Nacho Monreal arrives for quite a fee, if rumour is to be believed around €10m or more than £8m.

Monreal has nine caps for Spain, and has been impressive in La Liga. At 26, we can expect him to be first choice for a while. Not only may out-of-form André Santos be heading out this summer, Kieran Gibbs may also have reason to feel that his position is threatened.

Throughout Transfer Deadline Day, the Arsenal's Silly Season rumour list has been updated and changed as news have come in. Some of the 150+ "transfer targets" have ended up at other clubs. The vast majority are staying just where they are. One former target (not linked to Arsenal since March last year) ended up in a car park.

Again, the January window and the months before have taught us that transfer rumours are equivalent to the droppings of cattle. It's fantastic to see that Arsenal's only signing wasn't mentioned by any serious news sources - or, indeed, anyone else - before Transfer Deadline Day itself.

Still, fair is fair, and I know of course that some of it is printed in good faith. A lot of professional journalists open up from time to time, admitting that they know they aren't right all the time. A rumour not ending up with a squad number and a Wenger handshake may still have had a core of truth in it.

Jeremy Wilson of the Daily Telegraph sums the Arsenal transfer window up here, as he sees it: Monreal was to be signed in the summer, but Gibbs' injury made Arsenal move today. Luke Shaw of Southampton was preferred, but wouldn't come.

Wilson is of the opinion that Arsenal have failed to sign a striker and a defensive midfielder. The candidates were Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (chose to stay in Germany) and David Villa (made to stay in Spain) up front, while Wenger decided that it wasn't necessary to strengthen the midfield with either of the prime candidates Victor Wanayama or Mohamed Diamé.

Whether or not the Telegraph paints a precise picture, we may never know.

Most Gooners wil be happy with the signing of another left back, but a lot are still disappointed at the perceived net loss of players and quality in the window. However, I have a strange feeling that many of the supporters who are now bemoaning that loanees Marouane Chamakh and Johan Djourou aren't replaced are the very same who complained that 'deadwood' haven't been shipped out of the club fast enough.

You can't have it both ways. Not even in the January window.

This blog will now be hibernating for a short time. A spanking new rumour list for the summer window of 2013 will be up in due course.