Wenger: Arsenal may have to be creative in the transfer market after Arteta injury

Arsene Wenger has not ruled out making a move for a defensive midfielder before the transfer window closes.

The Gunners boss, who has seen his side linked with the likes of Sami Khedira and William Carvalho over the summer, insists he is not actively pursuing any players.

But an ankle injury suffered by holding midfielder Mikel Arteta has left Arsenal short in that department and Wernger admits, should it prove to be a long-term issue, then he may have to get "creative" in the transfer market .

Artetat, forced off in the midweek goalless Champions League play-off first leg against Besiktas, is sweating on the results of a scan but has already been ruled out of Saturday’s trip to his former club Everton

"We have just Mikel Arteta who is for sure out for the Everton game. Everybody else we have to check this morning, but we have no major problem apart from Mikel," said Wenger at Thursday's media conference.

"He had a scan yesterday afternoon. I haven't got the result. I have a meeting at 10am to check about that. I don't know how long he will be out for.

"We will be a bit short of course. If it is a long-term injury, that puts us in a position where we have to be creative."

Asked if he was generally keen to bring in a defensive midfielder as cover, Wenger said: "We are not against that.

"We are like you, we listen to the names, but sometimes I look who we buy in the media, but at the moment as I told you we are not in an emergency case.

"We have the players we want but we are open as well to any opportunity until the end of the transfer window who can strengthen our defensive department in quality and number."

Arsenal have also been linked with a move for Greek defender Kostas Manolas from Olympiacos.

"I can't tell you how likely I am [to sign anyone], I just said to you I am open to doing it. It has to be linked with the needed quality," said Wenger.

"If you ask today 20 top clubs in the world what they look for, they all look for the same positions, so that means it is not necessarily out there."