Southampton are now the bookmakers favourites to sign Arsenal left-back Kieran Gibbs.

According to latest reports, the South Coast club are leading the race for Gibbs’ signature as a potential replacement for Ryan Bertrand who has been linked with Manchester City this summer.

Arsenal have done business with Southampton before, generally with players moving in the other direction – Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calum Chambers – but Gibbs looks to be the rare exception to the rule.

The English left-back is desperate for more game time, making just 11 Premier League appearances last season. It would therefore be no surprise if a 27-year-old getting so little first-team action wanted to leave the club.

Matters have been made worse for Gibbs this summer as he’s been left out of Arsenal pre-season squad to hash out a deal with another club, while his successor Sead Kolasinac made his non-competitive debut on tour this month.