Cygan seals Spanish switch

Arsenal have confirmed the permanent sale of Pascal Cygan to Villarreal.

The French stopper agreed the transfer on Thursday night and after completing a medical has now formally joined the Liga outfit.

The Yellow Submarines have paid £2 million to sign the 32-year-old who, in his time under Arsene Wenger, played 18 times as Arsenal won the league unbeaten in 2004.

Cygan also won two FA Cups with The Gunners and moves on to join former team-mate Robert Pires having made 63 league appearances in four years in North London.

El Madrigal also witnessed the arrival of a second defender on Thursday in the form of Argentinian international Fabricio Fuentes.

The former Newell's Old Boys stopper moved from Atlas and has since explained that he had to plead with the Mexican side to give him the chance to move to Europe.

"The leaders did not want me to go," said Fuentes.

"They offered two years more contract to me, I requested to them please and I say to them at 30 years it is my last opportunity to go to Europe."