Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Reportedly Keen on Ricardo Rodriguez

An injury crisis at left-back could force Arsenal manager Unai Emery into making a late bid for Ricardo Rodriguez, even though AC Milan may ask for £30 million for the Switzerland international.

On Sunday, the Daily Mail's Matt Barlow and Adam Crafton reported that Emery is weighing a bid, while Sead Kolasinac deals with an injury and Nacho Monreal remains unavailable. Spaniard Monreal may not be able to feature in Sunday's 2018-19 Premier League opener against champions Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.

Monreal has been absent throughout the preseason thanks to a knee injury suffered with Spain at this summer's FIFA World Cup in Russia, according to Barlow and Crafton.

The pair also outlined how Kolasinac will miss "up to 10 weeks" after injuring his knee during the win over Chelsea in the International Champions Cup on Wednesday.

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It's left the Gunners scrambling for options ahead of facing City. The most obvious solution is to put 20-year-old academy graduate Ainsley Maitland-Niles at left-back.

A natural midfielder, Maitland-Niles played the position several times on the watch of Emery's predecessor, Arsene Wenger, last season. Emery has hinted he could trust Maitland-Niles there again, per Tony Mogan of the London Evening Standard.

As well as Maitland-Niles played last campaign, deploying him out of position again would only underline Arsenal's threadbare options at the back. Those could become thinner still, with Calum Chambers reportedly on the verge of having a medical with Fulham ahead of a season-long loan at the Craven Cottage club, per MailOnline's Simon Jones.

With Laurent Koscielny out until December, Emery isn't spoilt for choice when it comes to defensive combinations. It's hardly ideal preparation for facing City, who beat the Gunners three times last season by the combined score of 9-1.

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Signing Rodriguez would not only boost numbers, but it would also help inspire a much-needed regeneration at left-back. Kolasinac, a natural wing-back, struggled mightily in a back four after arriving on a free transfer from Schalke 04 last summer.

Meanwhile, Monreal is 32 and can't match Rodriguez's pace and energy on the flank. Arsenal were linked with the 25-year-old before he joined Milan.

Revisiting the interest would be a smart move for Emery, who will need quality and depth in defence to help the Gunners return to the UEFA Champions League after they failed to qualify the last two seasons.