Arsenal captain Thierry Henry praised his side's new signings and said on Monday they can cover the void left by the departing players. The Gunners landed stopper William Gallas from Chelsea and Julio Baptista from Real Madrid in exchange for Ashley Cole and Jose Antonio Reyes respectively. "I have known William for a long time. I've played with him and against him," Henry was quoted as saying by Sky Sports Network. "In my opinion he's the best centre back in the world, so he's a vital signing." Arsenal suffer a numerical disadvantage in their back line after selling the contracts of Cole and Pascal Cygan, parting ways with Sol Campbell. They also miss injured defenders Philippe Senderos, Lauren and Gael Clichy.
Gallas The 29-year-old striker teamed with Gallas in the French national team during the last World Cup in Germany where Les Bleus reached the final before losing to Italy. Henry also hailed long-time Arsenal target Baptista and said the Brazilian can prove useful for the team. "Baptista can become a big player for us this season," said the Londoners talisman. Henry, who was on the opposing side of selling Reyes and Cole, hoped that the new duo fill in the boots of the leavers. "We've lost two strong players in Reyes and Cole, but football moves on and I think the players we have signed can help us to progress," he said.
