Arsene Wenger: Signings not reaction to Manchester United defeat

Arsene Wenger has insisted that Arsenal's transfer deadline movement had nothing to do with the club's 8-2 defeat to Manchester United.

The manager came under fire from fans for the lack of imports during the transfer window after the defeat on August 28, especially in light of the exits of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas.

The Reds acquired five players - Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker, Andre Santos, Park Chu-Young and Yossi Benayoun on loan from Chelsea - in the dying days of the market, but Wenger today explained the strategy behind the purchases.

“Some of the transfers were linked with players going out like Santos and Park because I knew [Nicklas] Bendtner and [Armand] Traore would go out,” Arsenal's official website quotes him as saying.

“Some of the other players were linked with the fact we have [Jack] Wilshere out for a long time like [Abou] Diaby. I knew as well that [Thomas] Vermaelen would have surgery the week before Manchester United so we needed to buy a centre-back.

“The midfield was a bit short because we now go into a time where we have the Champions League and the Carling Cup and we need a big squad."

Arsenal will host Swansea tomorrow (Saturday) for their fourth game of the Premier League campaign.