Arsenal are reportedly prioritising the signing of a new left-back in the January transfer window but may have to settle for a loan deal.
Having splashed the cash on Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber in a summer spending spree exceeding £200m, as well as signing David Raya on loan with an option to buy for £27m, the Gunners' business will be limited in the winter window.
Mikel Arteta's men must tread carefully around Financial Fair Play regulations, but having only accrued four points from their last five Premier League matches, Gooners are crying out for winter arrivals.
The Gunners have been expected to make a big-money striker their number one priority for 2024, but moves for a new number nine will likely have to wait until the summer transfer window, especially with Eddie Nketiah set to stay put in January.
With Mohamed Elneny away on Africa Cup of Nations duty and the injury-plagued Thomas Partey potentially on his way out, a fresh face in midfield could also be on the agenda, but January options are also limited in the centre of the park.
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Instead, The Mirror claims that Arsenal will attempt to bring a new left-back to the club first and foremost, having seen their ranks ravaged by injuries since the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
The versatile Timber is still working his way back from the devastating ACL injury which he sustained on his Premier League debut, and the Dutchman is not expected to return until March in the best-case scenario.
Oleksandr Zinchenko also sat out the weekend's 2-1 loss to Fulham with a calf injury and has been sent for scans, although it is not clear how serious his concern is, forcing Jakub Kiwior to start out of position at Craven Cottage.
Takehiro Tomiyasu - whose fitness concerns since joining Arsenal are also well-documented - returned from his own calf issue in that London derby, but the Japan international is now away on Asian Cup duty for a number of weeks, leaving Arteta without a recognised left-back for the time being.
The Gunners do have the option of recalling Kieran Tierney from his loan spell at Real Sociedad, but it is not clear whether there are any plans to bring the Scotland international back to the Emirates after he fell down Arteta's pecking order.
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Tierney's La Liga campaign has also been hampered by a hamstring problem, but he still boasts one assist from 12 matches for Sociedad, starting each of their last five matches in the Spanish top flight.
The 26-year-old's contract in North London runs until the end of the 2025-26 campaign, but should Arsenal succeed in bringing in a new left-back, he could be among those seeking pastures new over the summer.
The report does not mention any specific targets for the Gunners, but the North London giants are said to have put out 'feelers', and Ajax's 17-year-old starlet Jorrel Hato is understood to be on Arsenal's radar.
The 2006-born defender has primarily played as a centre-back for the Amsterdam side this term, helping his side go unbeaten in eight successive Eredivisie games after an abysmal start to the season, but he is also comfortable on the left-hand side of the backline.
Fenerbahce's Ferdi Kadioglu - an out-and-out left-back - is rumoured to have caught the eye of the Premier League side too, although his contract is not due to expire until 2026 either.
Ben Knapton
