the dreams came through

what a superb signing last minute at last night it's like a dreams came through, there is no more gossip tranfer cos Andrei Arshavin was last night hailed as a "sensational signing" and the biggest bargain of the January transfer window.

Zenit St Petersburg boss Dick Advocaat believes Arsenal have pulled off a great deal after buying the 27-year-old for only £10million from £20million.

Former Rangers boss Advocaat said: "Arsenal don't realise just how good a player Andrei Arshavin is. He'll be a sensation in England. He's worth more than they have paid."

The Gunners were celebrating after finally completing the longest-running transfer saga of the January window - but it was only sealed after a day of drama when Zenit threatened to pull the plug on several occasions.

But former Arsenal hero Paul Merson is convinced that Wenger has signed a player of genuine world class quality and that is why they were prepared to go to the wire.

Merson said: "He will fit in to Arsenal perfectly. He's a good little player, he's got a great football brain and would slot straight into the pass-and-move way.

"He might not be what Arsenal need specifically, but they just need players right now. He is a top player."

Arshavin was desperate to join Arsenal and took a £20,000-aweek pay cut, chartered his own private jet to London on Sunday night at a cost of £25,000 and then paid Zenit half of his signing-on fee to push the deal through.

Arsenal have been left infuriated with some of Zenit's transfer tactics in what at times became an ugly show of brinkmanship but Arshavin's determination to link up with Wenger was the deciding factor.