Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger insists the Gunners were left with "no choice" but to sell their captain Robin van Persie to Manchester United.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side confirmed on Wednesday night they had agreed a fee, thought to be £23m, for the Dutch striker who is expected to undergo a medical on Thursday and finalise terms.
"He is at Manchester United, unfortunately for us. The transfer was finalised in the afternoon," said Wenger while working for the French TV station TF1.
"It's never great to lose players of that quality but he only had a year contract so we do not have a choice.
"We have already recruited since we bought [Olivier] Giroud and [Lukas] Podolski who originally were intended to offset the departure of van Persie," he concluded.