Arsenal have undeniable £34m transfer chance to sign dream Ben White back-up but there's a catch

Mikel Arteta will be hoping to bolster Arsenal's defensive options in the January transfer window with injuries still plaguing his squad. Both Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber, the duo that started the season as the full-backs, are currently out injured having already missed several months and their absences look set to continue well into 2024.

On his Premier League debut, Timber suffered a serious knee injury and despite positive behind-the-scenes reports and comments from the man himself on his recovery, Arteta's latest update played down a return arriving soon. «Unfortunately that’s a very long term injury,» he said in a press conference ahead of an FA Cup clash against Liverpool.

«He’s doing really well but he’s still far from being fit to train with the team. That’s something to compete with the team. We don’t expect him any time soon. It’s what we have. The situation that we have now with Tomi having to leave we’ll have to cope with that.»

As Arteta mentions,Takehiro Tomiyasu will also miss the next few weeks as he represents Japan at the Asian Cup and with his return, Arteta hinted on Friday Partey may also be back. «Hopefully it is weeks,» he said when asked how much longer Partey will miss after a decision was made that he misses the Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana. «When and how many weeks is going to depend a little bit on how [long] the next step, training with the team, will take him. But he is progressing well.»

With so many absences in the full-back areas, Oleksandr Zinchenko then missing last weekend's defeat to Fulham with a calf issue would have certainly left Arteta feeling like he can't catch a break. Thankfully, to potentially solve these problems, the January transfer window is open and to comply with