Arsenal have reportedly re-entered the race for Manchester City's Aymeric Laporte following Jurrien Timber's recent injury.
Timber was forced off before half-time in Arsenal's Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest on Saturday with what looks like a serious knee injury.
Takehiro Tomiyasu replaced the new signing with first-choice left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko injured and Kieran Tierney also not in the squad.
All three players have had history with injuries though and now the severity of Timber's may see Arsenal dip back into the market.
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Subsequently, football.london claims that Laporte has given Mikel Arteta the green light to move ahead with a potential transfer.
Laporte only played a bit-part role for Man City last season, playing just 12 Premier League games, and a further four in their run to Champions League glory.
Signs so far this season also suggest that Laporte may struggle for game time under Pep Guardiola again too.
The Spain international was an unused substitute in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal and played only 12 minutes in their opening day win over Burnley on Friday.
With Josko Gvardiol arriving over the summer, and the likes of Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and John Stones ahead in the pecking order, Laporte's minutes are expected to be affected.
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Arsenal, meanwhile, were forced into playing Thomas Partey at right-back with Gabriel Magalhaes only on the bench at the weekend, so options are much more limited currently.
The Gunners still have plenty of options in the centre in William Saliba, Ben White and Jakub Kiwior, so should Laporte arrive, he may be utilised as a left-back more often than not.
Arteta was assistant manager at Man City during Laporte's first two years at the club and the two have spoken highly of each other in the past.
In 2020, Laporte said of Arteta: "Mikel is a great coach and, for me, he has been one of the best people I have met in Manchester."
Laporte was reportedly a name that Arsenal were interested in earlier in the window, but it is believed that City are reluctant to sell another player to a potential title rival.
Andrew Delaney
