Arsenal are considering a move for former Chelsea left-back and current Southampton defender Ryan Bertrand as they look to provide competition for Kieran Tierney.
Mikel Arteta revealed this week the club are in the market for a left-back to compete with Tierney after Sead Kolasinac was allowed to join former club Schalke on loan.
Arsenal are looking at a number of targets, but it is understood that Bertrand is one player being monitored.
Bertrand is into the final six months of his contract with the Saints and has been in protracted talks over a new deal with the south coast club.
The 31-year-old, who still lives near the Blues’ west London training ground and commutes to Southampton, was of interest to Leicester in the summer following the sale of Ben Chillwell and the Foxes have kept tabs on the situation since.
He is thought to be happy to stay at the club he joined in 2014 – but, should a new deal not be agreed, offers from the likes of Arsenal would be hard to turn down.
Southampton would not sanction a sale this month with Bertrand being their only senior left-back, while the player would be happy to wait until the end of the season to assess his options if the new contract is not signed.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has often said that he only wants players who are entirely committed to the club to sign new deals and they are also in talks with striker Danny Ings and goalkeeper Alex McCarthy over a new contracts.
Bertrand made his Champions League debut in the final of the 2012 edition against Bayern Munich.
He played on the left of midfield, becoming the first player in the Champions League era to make his first appearance in the competition in the final.
He was substituted with a knock after 70 minutes and replaced by Florent Malouda as Chelsea edged out Bayern 4–3 on penalties.
