Arsenal reportedly rejected two bids from Leicester City for defender Calum Chambers, with manager Arsene Wenger keen to keep the right-back and centre-back if the asking price isn’t met.

Leicester were believed to have offered around £20m for Chambers, but Arsenal are looking for nearer to £27m, as Crystal Palace found out when they enquired for his availability.

The 22-year-old hasn’t featured for Arsenal this season, while Wenger has opted to play left-backs Nacho Monreal and Sead Kolasinac as makeshift centre-backs instead of Chambers and Per Mertesacker.

Such lack of playing time early on led to speculation that he could be on his way out of the Emirates, given he spent last season on loan with Middlesbrough, which is why interest has risen in his signature close to deadline.

However, it does appear Arsene Wenger wants to keep the English defender at the club if he can, likely because Arsenal are very short at the back this season and don’t appear close to signing another centre-back.

With Mertesacker on the bench, Rob Holding in and out of the side, Gabriel being sold and Shkodran Mustafi’s future uncertain, Arsenal would be better off keeping the players they have.