January transfer window: Arsene Wenger confirms Mohamed Elneny move to Arsenal

Arsenal have completed the transfer of Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny from Basel, confirms Arsene Wenger, and the move will be announced later in the week on the Arsenal website. The Gunners were heavily linked with a move for the 23-year-old player since the start of the transfer window but work permit and visa problems delayed the deal and the player will now be available for their trip to Stoke City on Sunday 17 January.

Wenger confirmed the transfer in his post-match press conference following their scintillating 3-3 draw with Liverpool at Anfield. Arsenal came back twice in the first half to level the scoring, as the Reds pressed high up the pitch to latch on mistakes by the Arsenal backline to take the lead.

Roberto Firmino was the main man for Jurgen Klopp's team, scoring the opening two goals but Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud had ideas of their own, as they came back strongly to go level at half-time. Giroud scored a peach of a goal in the second half to give Arsenal the lead for the first time in the 56th minute but a late equaliser from Joe Allen all but scuppered the Gunners' hope of pulling five points clear of Manchester City.

Arsenal missed the services of six first-team players for the game, with Alexis Sanchez still missing after failing to recover from a hamstring injury he picked up in November. Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla, Danny Welbeck, Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere remained sidelined and Elneny's arrival will give the Gunners some real strength in depth in a difficult period as they enter the business end of the season.

"Elneny will of course join us. He has joined us," said Wenger, as quoted by the Mirror. "We will see if he can qualify for Sunday."

The Gunners travel to Stoke City next, followed by a game against Chelsea at the Emirates in the coming week, a period which may well define their title credentials. Elneny will cover in for Coquelin, who is still a few weeks away from returning to first-team action.