Arsenal have been one of the quietest clubs in the transfer window throughout January. There have been very few outgoings and absolutely no incomings at the Emirates Stadium.
However, with seven days left in the window now, there is still hope of a late move for supporters.
The striker the Gunners are crying out for seems unlikely to arrive before the summer but it looks as though Edu Gaspar and Co are still in the market for a new defender with Jurrien Timber out long-term and Oleksandr Zinchenko suffering his own fitness issues throughout the season.
So, who is that man? We've got all the details.
The defender Arsenal could sign before the deadline
A priority for Arsenal this winter has been to strengthen their backline if the right market opportunity appeared.
One move has been touted for Turkish full-back Ferdi Kadioglu but in recent weeks that is a rumour that has gone rather quiet.
Since then, the north Londoners have now cast their eyes in the direction of Kyle Walker-Peters. That's according to a report from TEAMtalk on Wednesday.
They suggest that he is a name for 'fans to keep an eye on' in the last week of the window with a move now potentially in the pipeline.
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Valued at just £7.5m as per Football Transfers' in-house valuation model, it could be a bargain move in a month where FFP issues have plagued various clubs in England.
How Kyle Walker-Peters compares to Jurrien Timber
Walker-Peters might not be a name that sets pulses racing at the Emirates Stadium but at this time of the year it's difficult to greatly improve your squad.
However, the signing of the Southampton full-back would boost numbers in an area where since Timber was cruelly ruled out with an ACL injury, they have lacked.
The biggest bonus, similar to the Dutch Arsenal defender, is that the former Tottenham man is capable of playing in a wide array of positions. He learnt his trade as a right-back but in the last few seasons has begun appearing at left-back in a more inverted role. That rather seems tailor-made for Mikel Arteta's system.
RIght-back
159
Left-back
44
Right midfield
13
Left midfield
5
Attacking midfield
1
Timber arrived in the summer having starred for Ajax last season as a central defender but throughout pre-season and in the Community Shield, we saw him at right-back and left-back. Evidently, Walker-Peters could fulfil a similar role until the Netherlands defender returns from injury in a few months.
What also makes the Saints man an attractive signing is his ability to bring a degree of press resistance to the team he's playing in.
The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell noted this when the full-back was playing in the Premier League, saying of Walker-Peters' qualities: "He can act as a pressure valve, winning free-kicks and playing out of tight areas." Those are qualities Arteta loves, particularly from his wide defenders. Just ask Zinchenko, a player famed for his press resistance.
It's fair to say that the Englishman is rather underrated, but not to those on the south coast, with Ruben Selles previously saying: "I think Kyle is an extraordinary player. His ability in positions, but also to understand the system we are playing has big value for us. Kyle has been really good in the Premier League for the last four to five years."
That certainly bodes well if the Gunners are aiming for a short-term fix in the second half of the campaign, but how do the pair compare statistically?
Goals
0.07
0.06
Assists
0.07
0.06
Shots
0.93
0.86
Pass Success
89%
92%
Key Passes
1.14
0.42
Progressive Passes
7.14
8.61
Tackles
1.54
1.39
Interceptions
1.25
1.25
Aerials won %
44.7%
47.4%
The answer is pretty well. As we can see, they are very alike when it comes to the number of attacking and defensive actions they perform, notably defensive. However, there's also that layer of being able to progress the ball, achieving an impressive pass success percentage and performing a high degree of progressive passes.
Walker-Peters, who stands at a diminutive 5 foot 8, might not be the name that Arsenal fans have craved this January but he'd certainly be a smart signing until the club can go big again in the summer.
