Arsene Wenger has revealed that Arsenal won’t sign a new player in time for the Liverpool game on Sunday and that he’ll have to look for an ‘internal solution’ to the Gunners’ defensive troubles.

The boss spoke to talkSPORT about the injuries to Per Mertesacker and – more recently – Gabriel, which mean we haven’t got a single fit centre-back in the squad. This leaves us with Calum Chambers, new signing Rob Holding and youth player Krystian Bielik to choose from.

It’s pretty much common knowledge that Arsenal are in the market for a new senior centre-back, with Valencia’s Shkodran Mustafi being said to have agreed a deal with the club. However, Wenger claims we won’t have anyone in time for our opening Premier League clash against Liverpool on Sunday.

“We’ve had two unexpected injuries with Mertesacker and Gabriel, and Koscielny came back very late so we are in a difficult position for Sunday’s game against Liverpool,” he said.

“This is very frustrating, but it’s a part of the game as well.

“Sometimes you find a solution that you wouldn’t find if you had no injuries.

“We are short on the experience front and this, centre-back, is a position where experience plays an important part.

“Of course, we will look to add, we are working on it, but until Sunday I have to find an internal solution and an efficient solution.”

Although most will be disappointed, at this stage, it was always going to be a bit of a reach to assume we could have someone new in for the weekend.

All Wenger can do right now is make the best of what we’ve got.