Arsenal are reportedly weighing up a January bid for Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake.
The news that Calum Chambers will miss the rest of the 2019-20 campaign following knee surgery is likely to force the Gunners into the transfer market for a new centre-back.
Ake has been strongly linked with a return to Chelsea, who can allegedly re-sign the Netherlands international for £40m as part of a clause inserted into the deal that took him to the Cherries.
However, according to The Telegraph, Arsenal are lining up a bid for the Dutchman, who is expected to be subject of a host of interest during the January transfer window.
The report claims that alongside Chelsea and Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Everton are also closely monitoring the situation surrounding the 24-year-old.
Ake, who has contributed one goal and one assist in 16 Premier League appearances this season, has a contract at the Vitality Stadium until the summer of 2022.
A hamstring injury has seen the defender miss Bournemouth's last five Premier League matches, although he is expected to return to action before the end of the month.