Arsenal’s top five defensive transfer targets with centre-back Rob Holding out for the campaign
It could a busy new year in the transfer market for Gunners boss Unai Emery
ARSENAL are on the hunt for defenders in the midst of an injury crisis at the Emirates.
Rob Holding is the latest player to be ruled out after rupturing his anterior cruciate knee ligament.
He joins Nacho Monreal and Konstantinos Mavrapanos on the sidelines.
Meanwhile club captain Laurent Koscielny is still regaining match fitness and Calum Chambers can't be recalled from his loan at Fulham.
That leaves Gunners boss Unai Emery with just Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos as his fit centre-backs.
Here, SunSport checks out five defenders who could be moving to the Emirates in January.
Gary Cahill
The former England defender is out of contract at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, and at 32, it doesn't look like he will get a new deal.
He has featured in just seven games this season under boss Maurizio Sarri.
But whether Chelsea will allow him to join a Premier League rival before the season is out is another matter.
Eric Bailly
The Ivory Coast international has struggled for games this season, starting just four times in the Premier League.
Just two years after moving to Old Trafford for £30million from Villareal, his future is somewhat unclear.
Bailly, 24, has suffered 12 injuries during his time with United, and boss Jose Mourinho seems to be wary of placing his trust in the centre-back.
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Fernando Calero
Calero has impressed for Valladolid this campaign in a defence that has conceded just 15 times in as many matches.
But Arsenal and Emery will face a fight for the ace after his performances also caught the eye of their European rivals.
Both La Liga outfit Sevilla and Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund are also keen.
And they could be ready to pounce with the quoted £10m figure allegedly inserted into Calero’s contract as a release fee.
Jere Uronen
With the future of Nacho Monreal up in the air, Gunners boss Emery has looked at Genk full-back Jere Uronen.
The 24-year-old has 30 caps for Finland and has scored one goal in 60 appearances for his club, who play in Belgium.
Junior Firpo
Firpo has scored three goals in 16 games this season, including one in the historic 4-3 win over Barcelona at the Nou Camp.
The 22-year-old full-back has been outstanding this season and made his Spain Under-21 debut against Northern Ireland in September.
Firpo has become the highest-scoring defender in La Liga in 2018, with five from open play since making his debut in February.
Born in the Dominican Republic, Firpo moved to Spain aged six.
He moved to Betis in 2015 from lowly Puerto Malagueno agreed a new contract at the Benito Villamarin stadium until 2023 in August with a £45million release clause.
