Two steps forward, three steps back?

Watching some old footage this morning, from 2005, it reminded me how much this current Gunners squad has changed in the last few years. For so long, the likes of Lauren, Henry, Ljungberg, Pires, Bergkamp and Vieira were the first names on the teamsheet. No more.

Times change, teams change, but are we changing too much too rapidly, to mount a substantial and successful Premiership and Champions League challenge?

The signings of Sami Nasri and Aaron Ramsey are undoubtably exciting for us Gooners.

Nasri, even if he isn't quite as potent as Zinedine Zidane, is likely to be turned into an attacking gem by Arsene Wenger - after all, that is what Le Boss does best.

I was really impressed by what I saw of Ramsey last season, especially in the FA Cup, so let's hope he impresses when given the opportunities.

But if those players are simply replacements for Alex Hleb and Mathieu Flamini, we've not made any particular progress, have we?

Manu Adebayor is surely certain to follow Hleb out of the club and I for one am praying it is Huntelaar rather than Roque Santa Cruz who replaces him.

But even so, our problem last season was down to how thin the squad was when injuries and suspensions kicked in.

Let's be honest, if Eduardo had remained fit and Robin Van Persie had played half a dozen more matches, the chances are that we would have won the title.

Today's papers have more speculation, this time suggesting we'll buy Gareth Barry, who, although a solid player, has never tempted massive money bids despite being high profile for almost a decade. I suspect he has already made up his mind to go to Liverpool anyway, and that suits me fine.

Amaury Bischoff is another who Wenger is set to sign - a midfielder who hardly got a look in at Werder Bremen but who has a lot to do to make it into the first team, methinks. The chances are, he will be a replacement for Gilberto, who is on the verge of signing for Panathinaikos.

Which leaves us not much better off than we where we fiished last season. Except with more acclimatisation to wait for before the team starts competing again.

It could be a long season...

Is Arsene Wenger about to sign another Latino wonderkid?

The excellent Young Guns blog, compiled by Jamie Sanderson, is reporting that three emerging Arsenal starlets will be loaned out to our Spanish partner club UD Salamanca next year and it sounds like Arsene Wenger will be using the link to get a work permit for an as yet unnamed player.

Two seasons ago, Salamanca took Mexican striker Carlos Vela on loan when he turned 17, giving him his first taste of European football. Vela spent the following season at Osasuna but has now been granted his UK work permit and will join his new Arsenal team mates within the next few days.

Last season it was the turn of Brazilian defender Pedro Botelho who Le Gaffer signed from Figueirense. Pedro is training with Arsenal during the pre-season, but will return to Salamanca in a couple of weeks time, according to the club’s managing director Miguel Torrecilla, whom Young Guns reports has quashed media speculation that Real Sociedad will take the talented 18-year-old for the forthcoming campaign.

Indeed, Salamanca expect three Arsenal players to join them on loan this summer and if the Spanish club are to be believed, one of that trio will be a new Gunners signing.

In addition to Pedro, it is thought that Dutch hitman Nacer Barazite could ply his trade in the western Spanish city next season, while local newspaper reports in Salamanca suggest that player number three will be a non European Union player, who Arsenal hope to sign in the next week.

Quite who that player could be is anyone’s guess, but it will most likely be a promising teenager from either a Latin American or South American club, as Salamanca seems to be Wenger’s loan club of choice for such players, while African nationals tend to go to Beveren in Belgium.

We’ll keep you posted on who the new signing could be - if there’s any truth to the rumour - but in the meantime, if you have any ideas about who the mystery player is, then please feel free to share your theory here using our comments section.

VIDEO: Samir Nasri signs for Arsenal (at last)

We're nothing if not helpful here at Arsenal Addict, so I thought we'd give you a sneaky glimpse at new signing Samir Nasri today, courtesy of YouTube.

Forgive the music, it's not my choice, and I know that YouTube clips have a habit of making even the most mediocre players look good, but what particularly impresses me about Nasri is his quick feet - a bit like Robin van Persie's - and his ability to score goals. Alexander Hleb is a good player, but that's the side of his game that prevents him from being the finished product.

Anyway, our new number 8 looks the business and I can't wait to see how he plays alongside Cesc Fabregas this season. Nasri is one of a bunch of players who have been dubbed the new Zinedine Zedane and let's face it, if he has the abilty (and work ethic) to be anywhere near that good, then Arsene Wenger will make sure he develops that potential.

I hope you enjoy the video and if you have any observations about our new midfield maestro, be sure to share them using our comments facility.