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Comings and goings

Wenger responds to criticism with swoop for German defender and Spanish striker

Meanwhile, Calum Chambers has joined Middlesbrough on loan, and Serge Gnabry could be on his way to Germany.

Updated at 22.00

ARSENAL BOSS ARSENE WENGER HAS splashed more than £50m (€59m) combined to bring Lucas Perez and Shkodran Mustafi from La Liga to the Emirates.

Wenger confirmed on Saturday that the 27-year-old uncapped Spaniard, along with Valencia’s Germany defender Mustafi, had agreed terms, but the deals weren’t finalised until today.

Perez arrives from Deportivo La Coruna for £17.1m (€20m) while Mustafi has been brought from Spain for a fee in the region of £35m (€42m).

“He’s not only a goalscorer, he’s a guy who combines well with partners, who can give a final ball and makes good runs,” Wenger said of Perez.

“He’s got a good eye for goal and had an outstanding season last year.”

Wenger had come under pressure for a perceived lack of activity in the transfer market, with Gunners fans getting restless having gone without a Premier League title since 2004.

But he has responded by also signing German international central defender Mustafi.

“He is at the right age,” Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger said of the 24-year-old who was in Germany’s 2014 World Cup winning squad.

“And he has good experience,” Wenger added.

“He is a very focused player who can play with the ball as well. We have taken a great player but have prepared well for the future.”

Mustafi, who has both German and Albanian nationality, spent two years at Valencia making 81 appearances, and came through the Everton youth system before two seasons on loan at Sampdoria, where he played 53 games.

The central defender arrives at the Premier League outfit after injuries to fellow centre-backs Per Mertesacker and Gabriel and has long been pursued by Wenger.

Mustafi and Perez follow Swiss international midfielder Granit Xhaka, Japanese forward Takuma Asano and young English centre-back Rob Holding in arriving at Arsenal during the mid-year transfer window.

Perez plied his trade for several clubs across Europe, including Rayo Vallecano, Karpaty Lviv and PAOK, before joining Deportivo, initially on loan, in 2014.

The 27-year-old, renowned for his pace and work-rate, scored 17 goals in 36 league appearances for the club last season, while also providing 10 assists.

Meanwhile, Gunners defender Calum Chambers has agreed a season-long loan switch to Premier League new-boys Middlesbrough.

Chambers has made 59 appearances for Arsenal since joining the club from Southampton in July 2014.

Former Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky has also completed his return to Sparta Prague on a two-year deal.

Rosicky started his professional career with Sparta before making a move to Borussia Dortmund in January 2001.

After excelling in Germany, where he won the Bundesliga in the 2001-2002 season, Rosicky made the switch to Arsenal in 2006.

He spent 10 years with Arsene Wenger’s side, but was a free agent having been released at the end of the Premier League season.

The veteran midfielder, who has won more than 100 caps for the Czech Republic, has now returned home to Sparta.

Elsewhere, Werder Bremen are closing in on a deal for Arsenal midfielder Serge Gnabry, the club’s sporting director has confirmed.

Frank Baumann revealed the transfer could be completed tomorrow, although there are still remaining details to finalise.

“Serge Gnabry would like to play for us,” Baumann said today.

“Talks with Arsenal are going well. We were interested in the player four years ago but unfortunately it didn’t work out back then.”

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