Arsenal track Lars Bender, William Carvalho

Arsenal will reportedly seek to bring in a new defensive midfielder in the winter transfer window.

The Gunners will be without the services of Francis Coquelin for at least 10 weeks, after he suffered a nasty knee injury during their 2-1 league defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

It is now reported by The Mail that manager Arsene Wenger may jump into the transfer market for a new midfield enforcer.

The report adds that Bayer Leverkusen's Lars Bender and Sporting Lisbon's William Carvalho top the list of targets for the New Year.

Mathieu Flamini and Calum Chambers are expected to fight it out for the holding role, with club captain Mikel Arteta sidelined with a recurrence of his calf problem.