Mertesacker “Arsenal move is exciting, I feel like a schoolboy ready for his first day at school!” Ramsey “the season starts against Swansea! We want to put things right after our last result!” Arteta “New signings will prove our worth & kick start the season!” Ayew wanted AFC move! Montolivo watched! Abdellaoue Linked!



• Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey sees this weekend’s meeting with Swansea City as the perfect way to start their season again.

The Gunners sit 17th on the Premier League table with one point from three games and have the worst goal difference following the 8-2 hammering dished out by Manchester United last weekend but Ramsey feels Saturday’s home clash with the goalless Swans can kickstart proceedings for the North Londoners.
"We want to put things right after our last result,” he said.
"Hopefully we put in a really good performance and get back to winning ways.
"We have had a good think about things and it will be a fresh start now.
"We have brought in some quality players. (Mikel) Arteta and (Yossi) Benayoun are two creative midfielders who are really comfortable on the ball and they will be great additions to the squad."

• Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker says he feels like a schoolboy getting ready for his first day of school as he prepares for his Gunners debut.

The Germany international joined Arsenal from Bundesliga club Werder Bremen on transfer deadline day and is expected to line up against Swansea City at the Emirates on Saturday.
Mertesacker admits it is exciting that he is stepping into the unknown and insists he is prepared for whatever comes at him.
"It is exciting. It is a new phase in my life and I am really looking forward to it, but I also feel nervous. It is like before the first day at school," Mertesacker said.
"Now I have a new challenge in a new country, a new style of play and a new language and I am ready for it."

• Arsenal signing Mikel Arteta has made it very clear that he has not come to the club to step into the boots vacated by Cesc Fabregas or Samir Nasri.

The Spanish playmaker arrived from Everton after signing with the North London club on transfer deadline day but has warned fans that he is different to the departed duo.
However, he does feel strongly that he can assist the Gunners get back to normal following a tough start to the season.
"They were two top players for the club, they did really, really well in the last few years and now we have some new players coming in to try and make the same impact. I am sure we will,” he said.
"I don't want the fans to be expecting the same as them because every player is different.
"We need some time to adapt as well, but I am sure that we will give everything we can to make this team better."

• Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal's late signings will prove their worth.

Arteta has said that his signing – with Per Mertesacker, André Santos and Yossi Benayoun – by Arsène Wenger on transfer deadline day will help to kickstart Arsenal's season.
Arteta said: "I think we've got some experience there from all of them and we have strength in all positions of the team, which is important as we're going to be playing in four competitions. Hopefully they can all add something different to the team and get the team performing better.
"I've got the right experience in England [following six years at Everton] and I can help the team and the young lads here, and I think I've got the best three or four years of my career ahead."

• Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood admits they sold Cesc Fabregas on the cheap.

Hill-Wood responded to Barcelona vice-chairman Josep Maria Bartomeu's claim that Fabregas was a bargain.
He said: "He is absolutely right - they did get him on the cheap. But he wanted to go back there and we respected that."

• Olympique Marseille winger Andre Ayew was left frustrated by Arsenal's dithering last summer.

The Ghana international was aware of Arsenal's interest and eager to move to London. But the deal fell through as the Gunners delayed tabling a concrete bid.
Arsenal made an approach to Marseille for Ayew on August 12, but did not make a formal bid until three days later on the 15th - by which time his buyout clause had expired.
The Gunners had been willing to meet the €13 million required to sign Ayew, but missed the deadline, so leaving the Ghana star shattered.

• Arsenal had scouts in the stands to see Italy defeat Slovenia on Friday night.

Gunners representatives were running the rule over Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo.
Montolivo is rated highly by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who is well aware the stylish midfielder is inside the final year of his current Viola deal.
The midfield schemer would be the ideal replacement for new Barcelona signing Cesc Fabregas.

• Arsenal are tracking Hannover striker Mohammed Abdellaoue.

The Norway international centre-forward is being watched by the Gunners.
Abdellaoue attracted interest from Manchester United while with Valerenga and has kicked off the season with three goals in four games for Hannover.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger sees Abdellaoue as an ideal replacement for the want-away Nicklas Bendtner, now on-loan at Sunderland.