Unai Emery hints at centre-back addition

Arsenal boss Unai Emery has revealed that he would be open to bringing a new central defender to the Emirates Stadium during the January transfer window.

The Gunners are currently light when it comes to depth in central defence, with Rob Holding due to miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury and Konstantinos Mavropanos yet to represent the first team this term.

Laurent Koscielny has only just returned from a long-term Achilles injury, meanwhile, meaning that Emery does not have a whole host of options at centre-back.

The Arsenal manager has said that he would be open to bringing in a new player in that area of the field during next month's transfer window.

"I think if we can take one player to help us at centre-back, I think it's a good option. The transfer [window] is not easy... Koscielny is coming back and for the team it's very important he is coming back," Emery told reporters.

"Then we are going to wait and see how Mavropanos is improving with his injuries, because he is also a centre-back who can help us. Another option we can play with two, with three, Nacho Monreal and [Stephan] Lichtsteiner can play in this position. I prefer to use, if we can, a specialist centre-back."

Arsenal also face the possibility of being without Shkodran Mustafi, who has a hamstring problem, for Sunday's trip to Southampton in the Premier League, while Sokratis is suspended.