Arsenal Transfer News: Santos, Mertesacker, Malouda and Sneijder in Today's Press

• Click here for a full round-up of today's transfer rumours

Arsene Wenger has been told he retains the complete support of the Arsenal board of directors, despite Sunday's 8-2 defeat by Manchester United.

The mood at the Emirates remains sombre following the club's worst away defeat in 100 years but Wenger has expedited the rebuilding process of strengthening his squad, ahead of tomorrow's 11pm deadline, with moves for Fenerbache left-back Andre dos Santos and Werder Bremen centre-back Per Mertesacker.

Reports on Monday suggest Wenger has been reassured by the club's owner, Stan Kroenke that his position is not under review and the board of directors are still convinced of the Frenchman's long-term strategy for the club.

"Arsene has the absolute backing and solidarity of the board," a club source told the Telegraph. "His position is rock solid. Arsene is a manager with a great record and the club expect to be working with him for years to come."

Wenger has apologised for Sunday's embarrassing defeat, while the club Monday took the unique step of proposing a free ticket for a future away game to all 3,000 fans who travelled to Old Trafford.

The Arsenal board are unlikely to take a hasty decision on Wenger's future on the back of a stuttering start to the campaign. Sunday's defeat comes on the back of a 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool and a 0-0 opening day draw at Newcastle. Wenger has faced criticism before and has always pulled through, but there is little question that he is currently facing the most difficult period of his Arsenal career.

The target over the next two days is to strengthen a squad that was ruthlessly exposed by the defending champions, and to identify long-term replacements for the departed Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.

A £4m deal for South Korea striker Park Chu-Young is expected to be announced today, while Wenger is also close to completing a £6.2 move for Brazil international Andre dos Santos, according to reports on Tuesday morning.

The club have agreed a £6.2m fee with Fenerbache for Santos, 28, who is expected to agree the personal terms of a four-year contract Tuesday afternoon, according to reports from Turkey. The Brazil international has been capped 22 times by his country and has considerable Champions League experience.

Wenger is also keen to add a central defender to his squad and has opened talks with Werder Bremen over a move for Per Mertesacker, after Bolton rebuffed the club's advances for Gary Cahill.

Mertesacker, 26, has entered the final 12 months of his contract and is available for around £10m.

After sanctioning the sales of Fabregas and Nasri, Wenger is also in the market for a central midfielder. The Frenchman retains an interest in Sochaux's Marvin Martin, who could be available for £12m, while reports in Tuesday's papers also linked the Arsenal manager with moves for Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder as well as Chelsea duo Yossi Benayoun and Florent Malouda

However, Sneijder is unlikely to leave Serie A this summer after the 27-year-old told Sender Nos he was happy in Milan.

"I'm staying at Inter. I don't think I'll leave at this moment in the market," he said.

"Anything is possible in football, but I don't think this time something will happen. I know that if I were to leave it would have to be for the right price, Inter was clear about that."