In the last few months there have been many Arsenal transfer rumours linking us with seemingly every central defender that may be available. Some of the big name players like Mats Hummels really get the fans going, while Arsene Wenger watchers think it is more realistic that the Frenchman will sign some unheard of teenager from the French second division.
Somewhere in between these two opposite poles you have good defenders who would be easier and cheaper to sign than the Dortmund star while still being able to significantly add to our paper thin defensive options. One of these that I quite fancied was the Holland international Ron Vlaar after his very impressive World Cup finals.
And with his current contract expiring at the end of this season, it was thought he would be available on the cheap in January. Until his recent comments reported by the Daily Express that is. The 29-year old flatly denied any intention of moving on and suggested that he would be talking to his Villa bosses about a new deal.
So maybe that is why the Gunners have steeped up their interest in the 21-year old Athletic Bilbao star Aymeric Laporte, according to the Evening Standard. The young Frenchman is really making a name for himself in La Liga and it seems that he has attracted the attention of the Arsenal boss. But is he the right player to help the Gunners out this season?