Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has added even more young talent to the Gunners' squad with the double signing of Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor and French youngster Vasiriki Abou Diaby.
Adebayor, 21, became Arsenal's second capture in the current transfer window after Wenger completed the deal to bring him to the Barclays Premiership for an undisclosed fee.
Adebayor led his country to their first World Cup finals after top scoring in the African zone.
“Emmanuel Adebayor is a great addition to our squad," said Wenger. “He has shown in his performances with Monaco and Togo that he will add great quality to our offensive game. He is tall, good in the air and makes good runs.
"We are looking forward to him joining the squad when he returns from the African Nations Cup.”
Wenger feels French Under-19 international Diaby has the potential to fill Patrick Vieira's midfield role at Arsenal.
While speculation continued over whether the Gunners would move for highly-rated Southampton teenager Theo Walcott - which looks increasingly likely - Wenger was delighted to have landed a player he feels can add an extra dimension to his squad.
Vieira - for so long Wenger's midfield enforcer - left for Juventus in the summer, but the Gunners boss sees in Diaby many of the same traits as the former Arsenal captain.
“I like his potential, his physical power, the fact that he can win a fight in the middle of the park and the fact that he's good going forward as well,” said Wenger.
"He can be a complete midfielder."
The fee paid for Diaby is believed to be in the region of £2million, and Auxerre revealed that the player rejected advances from Chelsea to sign a four-year deal with the Gunners.
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