Arsène Wenger, the Gunners' longtime manager, had preached patience throughout the summer but pounced just hours before the deadline with a reported $65 million move for Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Özil. Wenger was also said to be pursuing a loan deal for Chelsea striker Demba Ba, who was a top scorer for Newcastle but has struggled to find playing time under Chelsea's new coach, José Mourinho.

Arsenal was not the only team pushing for significant moves on the final day. As the deadline of 11 p.m. in London approached, Manchester United was reportedly renewing its interest in midfielders Marouane Fellaini of Everton and Ander Herrera of Athletic Bilbao. Liverpool completed deals for defenders Mamadou Sakho and Tiago Ilori for a combined 25 million pounds, and A.C. Milan brought back the 31-year-old Brazilian star Kaká.

Still, Arsenal's involvement was the most visible. Wenger's seeming reluctance to spend on high-quality players — he acquired only one player this summer, on a free transfer — had become a persistent thorn for the team's fans in recent weeks. Pressure on Wenger has increased over the past few seasons as a clear rift developed among Gunners fans: some remain loyal to him for his consistent success, while others note that the team's last trophy was won eight years ago and contend that it is, perhaps, time for a change.

The club's machinations on Monday, however, seemed likely to result in at least a temporary reprieve from Wenger's critics. Even if his latest activity came up against the transfer deadline, it would be impossible to argue that Wenger did not act aggressively if he set a club-record with the fee paid for Özil. One of the top assist providers in Europe, Özil should pair well with Santi Cazorla in the Arsenal midfield, adding a new dimension to the attack. Wenger also is expected to try to add another forward before the deadline.

The moves by Arsenal came after Tottenham, one of the Gunners' London rivals, spent months in the spotlight for its free-spending (and ultimately free-selling) machinations. Daniel Levy, the Spurs chairman, spent more than 100 million pounds (about $155 million) on seven new players this summer, a spree that was largely financed by the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. Bale was finally introduced as a Real Madrid player on Monday.

Wenger did not hide his skepticism about Tottenham's strategy and, despite frequent calls for him to act, he made it clear that his plans did not include any reactionary moves.

"We will not do anything stupid for the sake of saying we have done something," Wenger said last week. "I can understand that it's very interesting for people to read the newspapers and see who goes in and who comes out. But the only thing if you really love football is what happens on the pitch. We have a way to play, we have good players, and let's focus on that."

Still, even as he played coy it was clear that Wenger was not indifferent to the sway of the open market. He reveled in Arsenal's 1-0 victory over the new-look Tottenham on Sunday, then smiled during his post-match news conference when asked about the possibility of his North London club finally making a mark on the transfer window's final day.

"In 24 hours, maybe we can surprise you," he said.