Why a New Right-Back Could Be Arsenal's Priority in the January Transfer Window

It’s a curious state of affairs: Arsenal have three international right-backs, yet they could still find themselves chasing another.

Despite the presence of Hector Bellerin, Mathieu Debuchy and Carl Jenkinson in the squad—a trio who have been capped for Spain, France and England respectively, it’s still something of a problem position for manager Arsene Wenger.

When the January transfer window opens, Wenger is likely to be on the hunt for a new right-back to augment his options—and one or two of the current contingent could be on the way out of the club. 

Bellerin isn’t going anywhere. The Spaniard, 21, recently extended his contract with the club and is an integral part of the Arsenal team. There can’t be many right-backs who play such an important role in determining the attacking identify of their club.

Although Bellerin completed his footballing education with the Gunners, he is a Barcelona boy, and his marauding performances are reminiscent of the manner in which Dani Alves redefined the position in his time at the Camp Nou.  

The problem for Arsenal is that there is a huge gap in quality between Bellerin and his potential replacements. The academy product is sidelined currently with an ankle ligament injury, and the north London side miss him badly. 

Bellerin’s fantastic recovery pace and combative spirit make him an important defender, but what he offers going forward is just as valuable.

Arsenal tend to play with wingers who move infield—Theo Walcott being a prime example. The England international’s goalscoring instincts see him take up positions within the width of the penalty box, so it is incumbent on Bellerin to offer the team width with his driving runs to the byline. When he is out of the side, the Gunners are more narrow and less effective.

When Bellerin was ruled out, Arsenal turned to Jenkinson. The former Charlton Athletic man had spent 18 months on loan with West Ham United before a knee injury cut his 2015/16 campaign short. Fit again, the 24-year-old was reintroduced to the Gunners fold, even starting the match against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

Explaining Jenkinson’s recall, Wenger told Sky Sports (h/t the Metro): "He went away on loan and played many games for West Ham. He is fit and ready, he played away in the Champions League against Ludogorets and did very well."

He did play many games for West Ham, but Jenkinson’s time in east London was not quite the success story some fans might like to believe. Although he was a regular in his first season, he lost his way and ultimately his place after Slaven Bilic took charge in June 2015. 

Anyone hoping Jenkinson may have made huge strides forward in his time away will have been left disappointed. The fact he was a boyhood Arsenal fan has made him something of a cult hero at the Emirates Stadium, but without his longstanding loyalties he would struggle to gain popularity on his ability alone.

Jenkinson is a competent Premier League full-back, but no more than that. He seems to have ironed out the regular defensive errors that used to dog his game, but he still struggles to fit into the team's play going forward.

He has his strengths—there are few better crossers at the club than Jenkinson. When he played under Sam Allardyce at West Ham, his ability to swing the ball in from wide areas was useful. However, at Arsenal there is not as much need for high, floated crosses.

Bellerin is more often tasked with playing intricate one-twos on the edge of the penalty area to try to get behind the opposition defence. Frankly, that is not Jenkinson’s strong suit.

His inadequacy quickly became evident during his time in the first team. Eventually, his team-mates seemed loath to give him the ball, which had the unfortunate consequence of stunting Arsenal’s attacking play. Wenger acted quickly to resolve the problem, rushing back Debuchy to face Bournemouth.

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

This was Debuchy’s first start for Arsenal in a year. Like Jenkinson, he left the club for a spell on loan, joining Bordeaux in January 2016 after growing frustrated at losing his place to Bellerin. 

Unfortunately, the injury problems that have been synonymous with Debuchy throughout his Arsenal career made an untimely return. Just 14 minutes into his comeback, the 31-year-old was withdrawn with a hamstring injury—acquired while pulling off a perfect backheel. Ironically, it was in demonstrating the precise kind of attacking flair that Jenkinson sorely lacks that the Frenchman injured himself.

Jenkinson was not even on the bench for the Bournemouth game, illustrating quite how quickly and how far from favour he’s fallen. When Debuchy went off, it was Brazilian Gabriel Paulista who filled in at right-back. The centre-half looked ungainly and awkward in the role, and he is unlikely to be considered as a long-term solution. 

There are question marks over the futures of both Jenkinson and Debuchy. The fact that both players have been allowed to leave on loan recently suggests Wenger considers them relatively expendable—and Debuchy has actually been strongly linked with a move away from the club, per James Olley of the Evening Standard.

Even if they remain at Arsenal, neither player seems particularly capable of emulating Bellerin’s breathtaking style. 

Claude Paris/Associated Press

Arsenal cannot expect Bellerin to play every game, so they need a reliable deputy. Funnily enough, they were close to signing a right-back this summer, only for the deal to collapse over their desire to use him as a left-back.

Allow Djibril Sidibe, now of AS Monaco, to explain. He told Le Parisien (h/t Sky Sports):

"

I was on the brink [of signing for Monaco] and [Arsenal] gave me a headache by making a bid at the last moment. 

After reflecting on it, I was not certain my playing time would be guaranteed.

I would have played maybe 25 games this season, including the cups. They also wanted to use me on the left whereas I want to establish myself on the right. I chose to stay in Ligue 1 and then leave for the Premier League next year because it is a competition that greatly appeals to me.

"

Arsenal presumably wanted Sidibe to provide cover and competition for Nacho Monreal in the event of Kieran Gibbs’ departure. As it happened, Gibbs stayed and has performed impressively when called upon this season.

Sidibe joined Monaco from Lille and has established himself there as an athletic attacking right-back—exactly the kind of player Arsenal will be chasing in January.

Wenger is unlikely to find a player with Bellerin’s outrageous ability. However, it will surely be possible to identify someone better than Jenkinson and Debuchy.

Bellerin has become so important to Arsenal’s game that they need to ensure they have someone capable of replicating his style when he is absent.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and will be following the club from a London base throughout 2016/17. Follow him on Twitter here.