Arsene Wenger says he is sorry to have missed out on the capture of defender Chris Smalling and admitted it was unlikely Arsenal would sign any new players before the end of the transfer window.

Manchester United won the race to land the highly-rated 20-year-old centre-half from Fulham, who plucked him from non-league Maidstone. Smalling is now set to head to Old Trafford in the summer.

"Manchester United got Smalling in the end. I am sorry because we were very close to getting him and we were on the case very early," said the Gunners boss.

"I wish the player well. At the end of the day it is important he has a good career.

"In both clubs he has a good chance to make a great career. The most important thing is he does that."

Arsenal have been linked with a number of transfer targets, mostly strikers, but Wenger does not expect to add to his squad, which sees the likes of Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott returning to full fitness.

He said: "It is not impossible (to sign a player before window shuts), but at the moment it is unlikely."