Arsene Wenger is in search of a new left-back.

The Arsenal manager has admitted his plans ahead of the transfer window’s opening tomorrow, after an injury to Thomas Vermaelen on Saturday.

The Belgian defender limped off after 54 minutes with a calf injury during a committed battle with QPR and it now appears Vermaelen will not only miss Monday’s visit to Fulham but more action in January’s busy schedule.

That has prompted Arsene Wenger into the look for a new defender after seeing his full-backs drop like flies over the past couple of months. With Bacary Sagna, Carl Jenkinson, Kierran Gibbs, Andre Santos and now Thomas Vermaelen all missing, Wenger has admitted it would be “stupid” for injuries in that department to cost Arsenal.

The Gunners’ only internal option is to deploy either youngsters Ignasi Miquel or Francis Coquelin in a make-shift defence, and with his side now 4th on the league table and perhaps in the hunt for the title, Wenger has revealed it is imperative that a new defender arrives in the coming weeks.

“He (Vermaelen) has a calf strain, so maybe at midnight I will try to find a left back! It is serious enough for him not to play on Monday [against Fulham] or against Leeds for example. We now have three left-backs out [injured]. Francis Coquelin came on in this position and did quite well, but he is a central midfielder.” Wenger said.

“Straight after the game I don’t know (about defensive needs), because I have to analyse it all. Kieran Gibbs is not too far but it would be stupid for us to drop points because we don’t have a left back.”

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