Arsenal Transfer News: Lars Bender, William Carvalho, Vincent Koziello Rumours

Arsenal have stepped up their winter recruitment drive as Lars Bender and William Carvalho are being eyed to replace injured Francis Coquelin, while Gunners scouts have been to watch Nice starlet Vincent Koziello in action.

According to the Daily Mail's Sami Mokbel, Bender and Carvalho rank highly on the list of January transfer-window targets to replace Coquelin, who's set to miss the next couple of months with knee ligament damage.

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

The former France under-21 international suffered the blow during Saturday's 2-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion, leaving the Gunners short of options in central midfield.

Bayer Leverkusen's Bender and Sporting Lisbon anchorman Carvalho have each been linked with a move to north London in the past. But Metro's Jan Hagen cited Portuguese newspaper A Bola, recently reporting the Sporting asset will not be moving this winter:

Bender signed a six-year deal with Leverkusen in the summer of 2013, an indication of just how highly the team rate their central figure.

Per the official Arsenal Twitter account, manager Arsene Wenger neglected to go into detail on Coquelin's injury:

Jack Wilshere is yet to feature this season and Aaron Ramsey is only just back from injury himself, while Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky have also missed much of the campaign through injury. As a result 31-year-old Mathieu Flamini—out of contract at the end of this season—could be promoted to the starting XI.

Janan Ganesh didn't hold back when describing the athletic properties boasted by Arteta, 33, after calling comedian James Corden a "more dynamic" option than the ageing Spaniard:

Arsenal's need for new signings once again dredges up the debate surrounding Wenger's failure to properly strengthen his ranks over the summer, when goalkeeper Petr Cech was the only major signing brought in.

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright highlighted Coquelin's importance to the team in his column for the Sun, where he took note of just how important the Frenchman has become to the team:

"When Francis Coquelin went down at the Hawthorns on Saturday, you could hear the groans from Gunners fans around the world. That’s how important the Frenchman has been to Arsenal...and that’s how massive the blow is to their chances of lifting the Premier League."

Santi Cazorla has established himself as the other half of Wenger's central tandem alongside the more defensive Coquelin, but now the concern is that Arsenal's midfield is lacking in bite.

Wright went on to detail the need for new faces in January, but not just any old bodies, players that will add genuine quality to the squad that can often be difficult to find in the winter market. Wright wrote:

"

The fact is Arsenal are missing EIGHT first-team stars now. Not squad men, not fringe players, not up-and-coming youngsters just setting out. First-teamers. Regulars. Men like Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamblerain, Danny Welbeck and Tomas Rosicky have been out.

[...]

You take that number of out of any squad — even Barcelona or Real Madrid — and they will suffer. So, of course, something needs to be done in January. But what is as important is that when — I sincerely hope it is a ‘when’ and not an ‘if’ — Arsene signs, he gets the right man. By that I mean someone who will genuinely bring something to the table, rather than simply fill in around the edges.

"

Nice playmaker Koziello is also reported to have earned the Gunners' attention after Get French Football News claimed the north Londoners had scouts survey the youngster in Friday's 3-0 win over Lyon (h/t Daily Star's Rhys Turrell).

The 20-year-old managed to get in on the scoring action as he bagged his second Ligue 1 goal of the season during the rout, with Chelsea and Leverkusen scouts also said to have been present, per Turrell's report.

Lionel Cironneau/Associated Press

Koziello may not be considered as high a priority for those fans demanding the signature of a new name in central midfield, given the Gunners already boast a wealth of stars capable in attacking midfield.

However, the Nice prospect is making quick strides in the French top flight after starting 13 of the club's 14 league games this season.