Arsenal Transfer Rumours: Arsene Wenger Preparing Bid for Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa

The Daily Mirror reports Arsene Wenger is considering offering £7 million for Montpellier defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

The Montpellier star is also said to be part of Newcastle United's transfer plans.

However, Wenger's connections in France and his reputation for developing African players may give him the edge in any race to land Montpellier's captain.

Mbiwa is a rugged defender who would add some much needed physicality to Arsenal's back four. At 22, he's a developing talent with the versatility to operate anywhere across the back line.

Given Arsenal's injury issues in defense this season, it may make sense to add a utility player to boost depth.

However, given the existing numbers in defense, it seems strange Wenger would be considering adding any more at this position.

Laurent Koscielny and Thomas Vermaelen are both capable central defenders, as is Per Mertesacker once he returns from injury.

The club recently gave the inconsistent Johan Djourou a new deal and youngster Ignasi Miquel has shown some promise during brief forays into the first team.

At full-back, Bacary Sagna is as solid as any right back in the world game. On the left, Andre Santos only arrived this summer. While he may appear shaky in defensive areas, the Brazilian certainly offers Arsenal a lot going forward.

Youngsters Kieran Gibbs and Carl Jenkinson are also in the mix.

Gibbs can make a strong case to start at left-back, but is constantly dogged by injury. Jenkinson has had his own fitness issues and his young Arsenal career is still blighted by his part in that 8-2 thumping from Manchester United at Old Trafford.

A potential bid for Mbiwa could be a sign Wenger doesn't trust Gibbs and Jenkinson sufficiently. It's hard to imagine Santos or Mertesacker being dispatched to the bench after only one season.

Yet this is the kind of transfer many have associated with Arsenal in recent seasons and there's no doubt the team could use a defender as combative as Mbiwa. His appetite for the tougher aspects of the game would certainly prove useful in certain Premier League encounters.