Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that the club are in the market for a new midfielder in the January transfer window.
The Gunners will be without Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny while they compete at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Ainsley Maitland-Niles is on the verge of signing for Roma on loan.
As such, Granit Xhaka, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Charlie Patino - who is yet to make his full debut for the club - are the Gunners' only available central midfielders at present, and the ranks are there to be bolstered.
Having already ruled out the prospect of a short-term deal for Jack Wilshere, Sports Mole takes a look at five midfielders Arsenal could look to sign in January.
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Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has certainly sent tongues wagging with his recent transfer admission, with the 24-year-old confirming that Arsenal did make contact with his representatives without tabling a formal bid.
Guimaraes proceeded to announce his desire to bring the Ligue 1 title back to Lyon - certainly not an achievable aim for this season given their bottom-half standing - but the Brazil international has also made it clear that a Premier League switch would be of interest to him.
With Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe negating the Gunners' need to search for goalscoring midfielders, tough-tackling Guimaraes - who is yet to score in 22 appearances this season but boasts five assists - would be a fine addition to the Emirates.
Lyon are under no pressure to sell the former Atletico Paranaense starlet, as his deal still has two and a half years left to run - but Lyon cannot expect to keep hold of him for much longer amid their mid-table mediocrity.
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The Renato Sanches to Arsenal links simply refuse to go away, and with good reason too, as the 24-year-old's deal with Ligue 1 champions Lille now has only 18 months left to run.
The less said about Sanches's brief Premier League stint with Swansea City the better, but the Portugal international is now a man in high demand and could supposedly be available for a reasonable £25m amid his contract situation.
With a keen eye for passing as a ball-playing midfielder, Sanches's goal contributions still leave a lot to be desired, but a cut-price deal could be a tempting prospect to Arsenal this month.
However, Barcelona are reportedly ready to rival the Gunners for Sanches's services, and his hefty injury record could yet lead the Gunners to think again.
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In their attempts to ramp up their efforts to bolster the engine room, Arsenal are rumoured to have tabled a €20m (£16.7m) bid to prise Brazilian starlet Danilo off of Palmeiras's hands.
Receiving glowing reviews for his range of passing and calmness under pressure, the 20-year-old would represent yet another up-and-coming prospect in Arsenal's ranks, and one who would certainly act as a capable deputy to Partey once he returns from AFCON.
Danilo was an ever-present during Palmeiras's run to the Copa Libertadores title last year - playing 70 minutes in the final against Flamengo - while he also banked two goals and one assist in 22 Serie A appearances.
However, the Brazil starlet is another one under contract until the winter of 2025, so unless the midfielder indicates that a move to the Emirates would be of interest, Arsenal can expect Palmeiras to play hardball.
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Interest in Denis Zakaria is set to be rife over the next few weeks, with the Switzerland international - a regular midfield partner of Xhaka - confirming that he will not be extending his Borussia Monchengladbach deal beyond 2022.
Manchester United and Liverpool are both being tipped to do battle for Zakaria's signature in the summer, but should Monchengladbach opt to recoup a fee for the departing 25-year-old, Arsenal could be tempted into a cut-price deal.
The 6ft 3in lynchpin would provide the Gunners with a much-needed physical presence in the middle of the park during Partey's absence, and his relationship with Xhaka could also act in Arsenal's favour with regards to a potential transfer.
However, Zakaria is another player who has not had the best of luck with injuries down the years, and the last thing that the Gunners need is another occupant in the treatment room.
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Affectionately dubbed 'the little Jorginho', Samuele Ricci continues to stand out head and shoulders above the rest in Empoli's first XI, the club he has represented since his days of youth.
Still with a lot of potential to fulfil at 20 years of age, Ricci has risen through the ranks at Empoli and already has 18 Serie A appearances to his name this season, bagging one goal and one assist.
Ricci's performances have supposedly attracted the attention of Arsenal, but it remains to be seen in the North Londoners' interest will lead to a concrete bid in January.
The Italy Under-21 international is contracted to Empoli until the summer of 2024, and it will take some convincing to prise him off their hands, but the prospect of European football would certainly aid Arsenal's efforts.
Ben Knapton
