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19 March 2024

Arsenal transfer latest: Hummels is Wenger's top January target

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By Football Correspondent and Agencies

Arsene Wenger's commitment to shore up Arsenal's leaky defence will be put to the test in January over Mats Hummels.

But the Dortmund defender is also a target of Manchester United and it remains to be seen whether Hummels could be lured to The Emirates.

Hummels has been identified as the No 1 target during the next transfer window but the 25 year old is also wanted at Old Trafford, according to the Daily Mail.

In previous years he would never have considered paying the £32 million for a defender but that is the fee Borussia Dortmund are said to want for the German World Cup winner.

Hummels, however, could also be drawn to Arsenal given the prospect of teaming up with his international team-mate Per Mertesacker.

Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira also remains on Arsenal’s wanted list to strengthen their midfield but again the German is also on United’s radar.

Wenger normally doesn’t like buying in January and get involved in a bidding war but he may forced to abandon his policy after their latest slip-up.

The Gunners were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Hull City on Saturday and required a stoppage-time equaliser from England forward Danny Welbeck to avoid losing the game.

That result left them 11 points behind leaders Chelsea and six behind reigning champions Manchester City, with Southampton, West Ham and Manchester United also now above them in the table.

Wenger is worried his players do not currently possess the ruthlessness to challenge Chelsea and Manchester City for the Premier League title.

He made it clear he felt Hull should have been beaten, and that a lack of focus by experienced players was the main reason why Arsenal failed to win.

"Of course I cannot say it's not a concern," the veteran French boss said on the subject of Arsenal's fading status as title-contenders.

"It's a big concern because the other teams win their games and we don't."

Wenger added: "It was a disappointing afternoon because we had 80 per cent possession and got one point.

"We had absolutely to win this game and were unlucky with the referee on the first goal but on the second goal we can only blame ourselves.

"We came out of the dressing room with a lack of focus and gave them (Hull) the lead straight away. After, it was difficult.

"I cannot fault the effort or the heart that we put in the game but the defensive concentration was missing on the second goal and at that level you cannot give goals away like that."

The man at fault for the second goal, which arrived 35 seconds into the second half, was World Cup-winner Per Mertesacker, with the Germany centre-back allowing Abel Hernandez to head in a cross from the right from Tom Huddlestone despite a significant height advantage.

Earlier, Mohamed Diame had cancelled out Alexis Sanchez's 13th-minute opener with a goal Arsenal were convinced should have been disallowed for a foul in the build-up on Mathieu Flamini.

"The first goal is for the referee," Wenger added. "The second one is for us and I told the players that.

"They had two shots on goal in the whole game. It's difficult to score three goals against any team in the world," added Wenger, whose side did just that to come from 2-0 down to defeat Hull 3-2 in last season's FA Cup final.

At least Arsenal did not suffer any new injuries ahead of Wednesday's Champions League game with Anderlecht in Belgium.

Midfielder Jack Wilshere had to be taken off after hurting himself in a challenge that saw him booked, but Wenger declared him to be available "if selected".