LONDON - Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, who have made poor starts to the season, were among the busiest clubs on a frenetic last day of dealing before the English transfer window closed on Wednesday.

It was Arsenal and not London rivals Spurs, renowned for doing the last-gasp deal of the day, who left it late to sign Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta from Everton in a deal reported to worth be about 10 million pounds ($16.3 million).

Chelsea were also busy with Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles joining the west London club for about 12 million pounds from Liverpool who re-signed Wales striker Craig Bellamy from Manchester City after he had left Anfield in 2007.

England winger Shaun Wright-Phillips also went from City to Premier League new boys Queens Park Rangers, becoming the 11th new arrival at QPR since they were promoted.

As well as Arteta's arrival at Arsenal, the struggling north London giants also took Israel midfielder Yossi Benayoun on a season-long loan from Chelsea and allowed their Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner to go to Sunderland on a similar deal.

Arsenal, with one point from their opening three games and reeling from an 8-2 defeat at Manchester United on Sunday, also signed Werder Bremen's Germany defender Per Mertesacker on a four-year deal for a reported 9.0 million pounds.

They added Brazilian Andre Santos from Fenerbahce to their defence as well.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, criticised by the fans for not investing in the team after the departures of defender Gael Clichy and midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, signed South Korea captain Park Chu-young from Monaco on Tuesday.

Tottenham, who lost their opening two games to Manchester United 3-0 and Manchester City 5-1, resisted one last attempt from Chelsea to prise Croatia midfielder Luka Modric from White Hart Lane, spurning a massive bid of 40 million pounds.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp told reporters as he left the club's training ground: "The chairman (Daniel Levy) has stood firm over Luka. I think 40 million was offered yesterday, that's what I heard and that's a big offer to turn down for sure.

"I am delighted the little man is still here and I am sure he will have a great season for us."

   

Parker joins

There was plenty of other movement at the club though with five players leaving and one major name arriving.

Tottenham finalised England midfielder Scott Parker's move from West Ham United, with former England winger David Bentley going in the opposite direction on a season-long loan.

Their Honduras captain Wilson Palacios and England striker Peter Crouch left for Stoke City, with Palacios moving for 8.0 million pounds and Crouch for a reported 10.0 million in a deal still to be officially confirmed in the early hours of Thursday.

Tottenham's Scotland defender Alan Hutton moved to Aston Villa for 4.0 million pounds and England midfielder Jermaine Jenas went with him to Villa Park on a season-long loan deal.

Another former England midfielder, Joe Cole, who had been linked to a move to Villa, instead left Liverpool for French champions Lille on loan for the rest of the season.

Cole, one of the brightest and most gifted midfielders of recent years, made only 11 starts for Liverpool after joining from Chelsea in July 2010 and had not played in any of their early matches this season.

Denmark midfielder Christian Poulsen also left Liverpool, joining French club Evian on a one-year deal. Like Cole, he signed for the Reds last year but made only 12 appearances.

David Ngog was another Liverpool departure, with the French forward heading for Bolton Wanderers, while Swiss defender Philipp Degen had his contract cancelled by mutual consent.

Uruguay defender Sebastian Coates joined the Merseyside club on Tuesday from Nacional on a long-term deal as their sixth signing in the window followed on Wednesday by Wales striker Craig Bellamy from Manchester City on a reported two-year deal.

One intriguing move involved former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves moving to Manchester City ona  one-year deal having been released by Manchester United at the end of last season after an injury-blighted career at Old Trafford.

($1 = 0.614 British Pounds)