Filed under: Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Premier League, Football, Transfer News
"My aims? I want to win things. I want to play in the Champions League and I want to make sure that when I leave this club they are in the top four at least. I am sure I will achieve that."Mikel Arteta rightly gained a lot of respect for those comments just a little over a year ago, but must be feeling betrayed by Bill Kenwright after completing his move to Arsenal in one of the surprise deals of this year's transfer window.
Arteta, 29, is no mercenary and was desperate to repay the faith shown by Everton during his serious knee injury two seasons ago. A journeyman before his move to Goodison Park, his affection for the club was without question.
But the cash crisis that David Moyes has been battling against for what seems like an eternity has claimed many victims this summer, and Arteta is without doubt the most major casualty.
The portents for this season off and presumably on the field were so unpromising that Arteta felt compelled to inform Everton of his desire to leave, pressing Arsene Wenger into emergency action.
As Moyes admitted: "Mikel informed me that he wished to join Arsenal. I am disappointed to lose him but the prospect of Champions League was something I can't offer."
Sadly for Moyes, the top four targeted by Arteta last year must have been way off too and the loss of the playmaker is a colossal blow.
Arsenal initially proposed a cash deal plus striker Nicklas Bendtner but that was snubbed by Moyes. A second, improved offer believed to be around the £10 million mark proved too much for Kenwright to refuse, however, and already #Kenwrightout is trending on social networking site Twitter.
The criticism will only increase for the beloved Everton supporter as it is understood that Arteta has even take a pay cut to move to the Emirates.
Everton could easily have turned down the deal but they simply cannot afford it during such testing financial times. Quite what this means to Moyes and his future with the Toffees is definitely a situation to keep an eye on.
But what about Wenger? He has abandoned his rigid determination to avoid splashing the cash and embarked on a bonkers spending spree during the final two days of the transfer window.
Germany international Per Mertesacker has joined from Werder Bremen for an undisclosed fee, while Yossi Benayoun quit Chelsea to move across London on loan.
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