Arsenal held talks with former Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes during the summer, according to The Mirror.

Arsenal were linked with a handful of defenders during the summer, most prominently Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk and West Brom’s Jonny Evans.

According to The Mirror, Arsenal were apparently looking at Benedikt Howedes as well, who was then a Schalke player.

Howedes went on to join Juventus on a loan deal after Arsenal “failed” to convince him to join.

They cite Sport Bild as their original source, though the information is not in the online edition of the interview with Howedes’ agent, Volker Struth.

Whether Arsenal held talks or not, a new centre back coming in always depended on one leaving the club.

Towards the end of the summer, it seemed Shkodran Mustafi could have been that player. However, a late move to Inter Milan collapsed, and so Arsenal didn’t see the need to sign another defender.

Howedes has 44 caps for Germany and won the World Cup with them in 2014.

He is known for being an old-fashioned defender without much grace on the ball, and can play as a full back as well as a centre back.

He is now cover for Juventus’ defenders.