Emery says Arsenal will be force to sign a defender in January

Arsenal manager Unai Emery says that the club may have to sign a centre-back in the January transfer window. The Gunners are without a number of defenders at the moment. Centre-backs Konstantinos Mavropanos and Rob Holding are out due to a groin and knee injury respectively. Shkodran Mustafi is struggling with a hamstring issue while Sokratis Papastathopoulos is suspended.

The only centre-back that is fit currently is Laurent Koscielny who missed several months due to an Achilles injury.

Emery said, “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.

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, and (full-backs) Nacho Monreal and (Stephan) Lichtsteiner can play in this position. I prefer to use, if we can, a specialist centre-back.”

Arsenal take on Qarabag tonight before locking horns with Southampton on Sunday.