• Football

Wenger eyes Reid to bolster Arsenal defence

ESPN staff
October 31, 2013
Wenger defended Arsenal's squad depth after their defeat to Chelsea on Tuesday night

Arsene Wenger is set to strengthen Arsenal's frail backline with a £6 million January swoop for West Ham defender Winston Reid.

Despite the high-profile signing of Mesut Ozil and Arsenal's position at the top of the Premier League, Wenger's side are still lacking defensive options - with only skipper Thomas Vermaelen offering competition to first-choice pair Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker.

Wenger missed out on Swansea's Ashley Williams in the summer and so has turned his attention to 26-year-old Reid, whose impressive form this season and eligibility for the Champions League make him an attractive prospect for Arsenal.

New Zealand international Reid is an integral part of the West Ham side which boasts the fourth-best defensive record in the Premier League, and has been on Arsenal's radar since the Hammers returned to the top flight in 2012.

Wenger is also monitoring 17-year-old Nigerian wonderkid Kelechi Iheanacho after he scored four goals against Mexico in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

Iheanacho is under the watchful eye of chief Gunners scout Steve Rowley in the United Arab Emirates after alerting many of Europe's elite teams to his ability, though Arsenal could be leading the race for his signature as he has stated his aspiration is to one day grace the Premier League.

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