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Kallstrom signs for Arsenal

Kim Kallstrom becomes Arsenal's only signing of the January transfer window © Getty Images

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Arsenal have completed their only signing of the January transfer window with the arrival of midfielder Kim Kallstrom on loan from Spartak Moscow.

Kallstrom will be on loan until the end of the season and will act as cover for an Arsenal midfield wilted by injury and suspension as they push to claim their first silverware since 2005.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has seen his midfield options take a dent in recent weeks, with Jack Wilshere injured and Mathieu Flamini now serving a four-game suspension following his red card against Southampton in midweek. Aaron Ramsey also broke down in training this week and is expected to miss a further six weeks.

The most successful period of 31-year-old Kallstrom's career came with Lyon between 2006 and 2012, where he won Ligue 1 twice and also lifted two French Cups.

He joins Arsenal with the club competing on three fronts - they sit second in the Premier League table, face Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the Champions League and are also still in the FA Cup, where they face Liverpool in the fifth round.

Wenger told the club's official website: "Kim Kallstrom is a hugely-experienced player. He is a midfielder with proven quality at both club and international level. We welcome Kim to Arsenal."

Kallstrom said: "Arsenal is an amazing club with a lot of great players and a coach who has done really well here for a long time.

"I am so pleased to come here to learn as much as possible. I'm here to do my best for Arsenal and to help out the team, so we can achieve good results for the last part of the season."

Sweden international Kim Kallstrom has joined @Arsenal on loan until the end of the season: http://t.co/P5isQ4Z9tj #WelcomeKim #DeadlineDay

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) January 31, 2014

The deal will be Arsenal's last of the January transfer window, with reports suggesting the club had bids turned down for both Lille forward Salomon Kalou and Lazio striker Miroslav Klose.

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