Report: Arsenal Fear Calum Chambers Will Miss Rest of Season with ACL Injury

Arsenal are reportedly set to be without defender Calum Chambers for the remainder of the season due to injury. 

According to Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail, the knee problem picked up by Chambers in Sunday's 2-1 loss to Chelsea is likely to leave him sidelined until the summer, in what is a huge blow for the team and manager Mikel Arteta.

"The defender underwent a series of tests on Monday, and there are growing concerns he has suffered damage to his anterior cruciate ligament," Mokbel wrote. "... The news will see Arsenal ramp up their search for a new central defender when the transfer window reopens on Wednesday."

Arsenal reportedly hold an interest in RB Leipzig centre-back Dayot Upamecano, who could be available for around £40 million. 

The Gunners are also said to be "exploring the possibility" of bringing William Saliba back from his loan spell with Saint-Etienne; Arsenal signed the defender in the summer from the French club before agreeing to send the 18-year-old back on loan for the 2019-20 season.

Arsenal have endured a campaign to forget overall and sit in 12th in the Premier League. However, Chambers has been one of the team's best individual performers, excelling since returning to the club after a loan stint with Fulham.

James Benge of Football.London commented on how well Chambers had been playing against Chelsea before hobbling out of the game:

The issue for Chambers will add to what is a growing list of absentees at the back for Arsenal. At the moment, they have Hector Bellerin, Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding, Sead Kolasinac and Sokratis Papastathopoulos sidelined.

Shokdran Mustafi was the man who replaced Chambers in the loss to Chelsea. He has struggled for form in recent years and could partner the erratic David Luiz at the base of the team when Manchester United visit on New Year's Day.