Arsenal Transfers: 8 Players Wenger Must Sign

The acquisition last summer of Germany's World Cup-winning defender Shkodran Mustafi went some way to plugging the central defensive gap that has derailed the Gunners' Premier League hopes in seasons past.

But it's still something of a problem area: both Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker - the latter of whom is retiring next summer - are the wrong side of 30, whilst Gabriel has often flattered to deceive when drafted in as a deputy.

Roma's Kostas Manolas is perhaps the most readily available centre-half to whom Arsene Wenger can turn. The 26-year-old was linked with a move to Roberto Mancini's Zenit St Petersburg earlier in the window, but things have now quietened, and Arsenal - with the lure of the Premier League, if not European football - could now look to pounce.