Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger eyeing swoop for Mainz starlet Abdou Diallo
Wenger is on the hunt for a new central defender as Rob Holding and Calum Chambers have failed to force their way into the first-team reckoning this season
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MAINZ defender Abdou Diallo is wanted by Arsenal in January.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger declined to bolster the heart of his defence last summer.
However, the Frenchman is looking to address the situation in January with the 21-year-old French kid keen to move to England, according to Goal.
Wenger is no stranger to signing Bundesliga talent with Granit Xhaka and Sead Kolasinac making the move to the Emirates from Germany.
There are defensive concerns with the imminent retirement of Per Mertesacker and the lack of opportunities given to Rob Holding and Calum Chambers who have made five Premier League appearances between them this term.
And despite signing a new contract, French international Laurent Koscielny has struggled for form, could be the only senior centre-back at the club alongside Shkodran Mustafi next season.
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Mainz have struggled in the German top flight this season, but the Gunners scouts have seen enough to know Diallo could be a future hit in England.
The French Under-21 defender featured in his club's vital draw at fellow strugglers Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Diallo made handful of appearances for Monaco last term, but found his chances limited so made the cut-price move to Mainz on a five-year deal.
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Wenger is also mulling over a tilt at Southampton want away defender Virgil van Dijk, but will not go anywhere near the £60million quoted in the summer.
Jonny Evans was another option but Manchester City looked in pole-positon for the former Manchester United man who has been linked with a return to Old Trafford.