Arsenal transfer news: Lars Bender and William Carvalho lined up to replace crocked Francis Coquelin
Coquelin is set to be sidelined for at least two months, leaving the Gunners desperately short of midfield options
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal are reportedly lining up moves for defensive midfielders Lars Bender and William Carvalho following confirmation Francis Coquelin is set to be sidelined for at least two months with knee ligament damage.
The injury, sustained during Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion at the weekend, has added to the club’s injury crisis and left the club short of options in midfield.
Mikel Arteta, who replaced Coquelin at The Hawthorns, limped off after being on the pitch just 35 minutes, with Mathieu Flamini set to fill in for the club’s Champions League fixture against Dinamo Zagreb tonight.
Wenger resisted vocal calls for him to sign a defensive midfielder during the summer following a season in which Coquelin cemented his first-team place with a string of promising performances. However, the seriousness of the 24-year-old’s injury may force the manager’s hand.
The Daily Mail reports that Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Bender, who has won 19 caps for Germany, and William Carvalho, Sporting CP’s highly-rated 23-year-old Portugal international, top the Arsenal shortlist.
Both players are unlikely to be available in January, although Wenger has hinted that he will break his reluctance to make signings in the mid-season window, having previously insisted summer deals represent better value.
“I’ll do what’s needed in January, even though in January it is not an ideal transfer market," Wenger after the seriousness of Coquelin’s injury emerged, and it is he will be given money to spend to support Arsenal’s title bid.
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