Arsenal Transfer News: Chris Smalling and Morgan Schneiderlin Deals Targeted

Arsenal's need for reinforcements at the heart of defence is no secret. In fact, the Gunners' consistent calamity at the back is in danger of becoming a national joke.

Apparently, manager Arsene Wenger is ready to try and solve those issues this January by adding Manchester United centre-back Chris Smalling and Southampton midfield anchor man Morgan Schneiderlin.

Daily Mirror reporter John Cross believes Wenger has made the duo priority targets this winter:

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Arsene Wenger has put Chris Smalling back on his list of potential January signings to solve his defensive nightmare.

Wenger is desperate to make a signing in January and the Manchester United defender could be available with Louis Van Gaal considering whether to let him go.

[...] Paris Saint Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot, 19, was a long term target but is now staying put after signing a new deal which will push Arsenal to look again at Southampton's Morgan Schneiderlin.

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Interest in Smalling is likely to be greeted with, let's politely say, a mixed reaction. Once one of the most highly touted young players in England, Smalling's reputation has crumbled since making the lightning jump from Fulham to Old Trafford.

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A slew of injuries and time spent out of position at right-back has made Smalling a figure of derision for the Red Devils. The nadir came in the recent 1-0 derby defeat to Manchester City.

Smalling was sent off after earning two yellow cards, mistakes that earned strong criticism from new manager Louis van Gaal. The Dutch boss branded Smalling's actions "stupid," per Jamie Jackson of the Guardian.

That talk is likely to hasten Smalling's exit. Wenger may be one of the few managers willing to overlook the 24-year-old's poor form at United.

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After all, it was Wenger who lost out to the Red Devils in the race to sign Smalling back in 2010, per The Telegraph.

Given Wenger's recent propensity for filling his squad with young English players, he may welcome the chance to return for one who got away. Smalling could also relish the prospect of playing alongside Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Calum Chambers, Kieran Gibbs and Danny Welbeck.

At his best, Smalling has the athletic power that used to be a feature of Wenger's defences, particularly during the days when Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure patrolled the middle.

Sadly, Smalling's best is rarely seen. He is too often clumsy in possession and positionally unsound. Wenger already has enough of those problems in his makeshift defence.

Experienced but lumbering defender Per Mertesacker is struggling this season. It doesn't help that his most frequent partner has been converted left-back Nacho Monreal, another plodding defender.

The Gunners' dishevelled back four was chiefly responsible for the team's collapse from 3-0 up against Anderlecht in the UEFA Champions League, a game the Belgian side eventually drew 3-3.

Arsenal's defensive woes, which include just three clean sheets in the league, have prompted Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher to call on Wenger to sign two defenders in January, per Daily Star reporter Alex Harris:

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Whether they are conceding goals or racking up clean sheets, Arsenal need another defender – probably two.

Numbers-wise they are very low in that department, with Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal, Kieran Gibbs, Calum Chambers and the currently-injured Mathieu Debuchy the only established players.

You can’t really expect to get through a whole season with that few players and with Thomas Vermaelen going in the summer, I think they need another centre-back to come in, preferably one with pace.

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One other defender who could appeal to Wenger is West Ham United's powerful centre-back Winston Reid. The Gunners have recently been credited with interest in the New Zealand skipper, per another Daily Mirror report from Cross.

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However, Hammers gaffer Sam Allardyce wants to ward off the interested parties with a new contract for Reid. Those negotiations are already underway, even though Allardyce seems cautiously optimistic about their outcome, per WHUFC.com:

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Well I haven't given up because I feel that we're progressing very nicely and that we can give Winston what he wants if he stays with us. We're building our Club slowly at the moment, but our ultimate goal is to be as ambitious as we can and if we can carry on building slowly but surely we can all achieve that goal. If Winston is impatient and sees it somewhere else, we'll have to wait and see.

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From an Arsenal perspective, it's encouraging to see Wenger running the rule over combative central defenders who also boast Premier League experience. But it would be more encouraging still to see Wenger look a little further upmarket for help.

A hamstrung back four has been the bane of a stop-start season so far. If he's going to finally settle things at the back, Wenger might need a marquee signing to do it.

Yet whoever Wenger targets for the back four, ensuring greater protection from the midfield is just as important. That's why Schneiderlin makes so much sense.

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The 24-year-old France international is a smart and steady player who expertly patrols the lines at the base of midfield. Schneiderlin is composed and capable in possession, much in the manner of Arsenal's current deep-lying midfielder Mikel Arteta.

But Schneiderlin also offers physical qualities Arteta doesn't possess. He's willing and aggressive in the tackle, a characteristic in dangerously short supply among the Gunners' current midfield players.

If there's one gripe with Schneiderlin, it's that he lacks dynamic athleticism, particularly in terms of quickness. In many ways, he represents a younger version of Arteta, one with slightly more muscle.

It's possible that Southampton team-mate Victor Wanyama, the hulking Kenyan powerhouse, is closer to what Arsenal need in between defence and midfield.

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Prising Schneiderlin away from Southampton also won't be an easy task considering the south coast club currently sits second in the Premier League. However, Schneiderlin made no secret of his desire to move this past summer, per ESPN.co.uk.

With the right offer, Wenger could perhaps tempt his fellow countryman to north London to solve what has been a problem position for close to a decade.

Arsenal's current transfer rumours are at least focused in the right areas. The last thing Wenger's tragically unbalanced squad needs is more players wanting to assume the No. 10 role.

Yet it remains to be seen if the likes of Smalling, Reid and even Schneiderlin are the ideal remedies for the Gunners' defensive ills.