Although Arsene Wenger has ruled out buying a defender during this transfer window and we’ve got enough midfielders to build a small army, we’re still getting linked with defensive midfielders.

William Carvalho is a name that’s been linked with Arsenal for a while and, once upon a time, I would’ve nodded my head enthusiastically at the mention but after the season Francis Coquelin’s had, I don’t see us spending the reported £20m on him or even buying another defensive midfielder at all for that matter.

According to the Mail of Sunday this past weekend (and just about everybody else since), we’re ‘edging closer‘ (aren’t we always?) to signing the 23-year-old from Sporting CP and obviously willing to throw money at the Portuguese club to get his signature.

Arsene Wenger loves Francis Coquelin and, after bringing him back off loan due to first team injuries to the likes of Mikel Arteta, the Frenchman has been a revelation. It’s just not Wenger’s style of sideswipe him out of the team in order to bring in a higher priced player.

What’s more, with Arteta suspected to be signing a year extension on his contract with us and Jack Wilshere’s fitness improving, I don’t see us needing too much backup in that area for the time being.

If we do sign a defensive midfielder – and that’s a big ‘if’ – it’s far more likely to be someone like Morgan Schneiderlin, who we’ve been heavily linked with recently. He’s Premier League ready, won’t cost an arm-and-a-leg, and won’t feel too hard-done-by sitting on our bench.