Arsenal leave it late to sign Arteta

Soccer:Arsenal and Tottenham, who have made poor starts to the Premier League season, were among the busiest clubs on a frenetic last day of dealing before the English transfer window closed at 11pm last night.

It was Arsenal and not London rivals Spurs, renowned for doing the last-gasp deal of the day, who left it late to sign Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta from Everton in a deal reported to be worth about €11 million.

Chelsea were also busy with Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles joining for about €14 million from Liverpool who re-signed Wales striker Craig Bellamy from Manchester City after he had left Anfield in 2007.

Shaun Wright-Phillips also went from City to Premier League new boys Queens Park Rangers, becoming the 11th new arrival at QPR since they were promoted.

As well as Arteta's arrival at Arsenal, the struggling north London giants also took Israel midfielder Yossi Benayoun on a season-long loan from Chelsea and allowed striker Nicklas Bendtner to go to Sunderland on a similar deal.

Arsenal, with one point from their opening three games and reeling from an 8-2 defeat at Manchester United on Sunday, also signed Werder Bremen's Germany defender Per Mertesacker on a four-year deal for a reported €10 million. They added Brazilian Andre Santos from Fenerbahce to their defence as well.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, criticised by the fans for not investing in the team after the departures of defender Gael Clichy and midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, signed South Korea captain Park Chu-young from Monaco earlier in the week.

Spurs, who lost their opening two games to Manchester United 3-0 and Manchester City 5-1, resisted one last attempt from Chelsea to prise Croatia midfielder Luka Modric from White Hart Lane, spurning a massive bid of around €45 million.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp told reporters as he left the club's training ground: "The chairman (Daniel Levy) has stood firm over Luka. I think £40 million was offered yesterday, that's what I heard and that's a big offer to turn down for sure.

"I am delighted the little man is still here and I am sure he will have a great season for us."

There was plenty of other movement at the club though with five players leaving and one major name arriving. Tottenham finalised Scott Parker's move from West Ham United, with David Bentley going in the opposite direction on a season-long loan.

Wilson Palacios and England striker Peter Crouch left for Stoke City while defender Alan Hutton moved to Aston Villa and Jermaine Jenas went with him to Villa Park on a season-long loan deal.

Another former England midfielder, Joe Cole, who had been linked to a move to Villa, instead left Liverpool for French champions Lille on loan for the rest of the season. Christian Poulsen also left Liverpool, joining French club Evian on a one-year deal. Like Cole, he signed for the Reds last year but made only 12 appearances.

One intriguing move involved former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves moving to Manchester City on a one-year deal, having been released by Manchester United at the end of last season after an injury-blighted career at Old Trafford.

Deadline Day deals

Arsenal

In:Andre Santos (Fenerbahce, undisclosed), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen, undisclosed), Yossi Benayoun (Chelsea, season loan), Mikel Arteta (Everton, €11 million).

Out:Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland, season loan).

Aston Villa

In:Alan Hutton (Tottenham, undisclosed), Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham, season loan).

Blackburn

In:Scott Dann (Birmingham, undisclosed).

Bolton

In:Gael Kakuta (Chelsea, loan until January), David Ngog (Liverpool, undisclosed).

Chelsea

In:Raul Meireles (Liverpool, undisclosed).

Out:Gael Kakuta (Bolton, loan), Yossi Benayoun (Arsenal, season loan).

Everton

In:Royston Drenthe (Real Madrid, season loan).

Out:Mikel Arteta (Arsenal, €11 million), Jermaine Beckford (Leicester, rising to €4.5 million).

Fulham

In:Bryan Ruiz (FC Twente, undisclosed).

Liverpool

In:Craig Bellamy (Manchester City, undisclosed).

Out:Joe Cole (Lille, loan), Christian Poulsen (Evian, undisclosed), David Ngog (Bolton, undisclosed), Raul Meireles (Chelsea, undisclosed).

Manchester City

In:Owen Hargreaves (unattached).

Out:Shaun Wright-Phillips (QPR, undisclosed), Craig Bellamy (Liverpool, undisclosed).

Newcastle

In:Davide Santon (Inter Milan, undisclosed).

QPR

In:Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City, undisclosed), Anton Ferdinand (Sunderland, undisclosed)

Stoke

In:Wilson Palacios (Tottenham, undisclosed), Cameron Jerome (Birmingham, undisclosed), Peter Crouch (Tottenham, initial €11 million).

Sunderland

In:Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal, season loan).

Out:Anton Ferdinand (QPR, undisclosed)

Tottenham

In:Scott Parker (West Ham, undisclosed).

Out:David Bentley (West Ham, season loan), Wilson Palacios (Stoke, undisclosed), Alan Hutton (Aston Villa, undisclosed), Jermaine Jenas (Aston Villa, season loan), Peter Crouch (Stoke, initial €11 million).