Arsenal are on the hunt for a defender and there is no shortage of names being linked, but what of these five who were linked with a move ahead of the January window?

3Mario Hermoso

MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 22: Mario Hermoso of RCD Espanyol controls the ball during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and RCD Espanyol at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 22, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images,)
MADRID, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 22: Mario Hermoso of RCD Espanyol controls the ball during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and RCD Espanyol at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 22, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images,)
  • Age: 24
  • Position: Centre-back
  • Contract until: 2020
  • Club: Real Betis
  • Estimated transfer value: £18m

Reports from Spain suggested Arsenal were considering paying the €40m release clause for Espanyol defender Mario Hermoso in January but that obviously didn’t happen and he’s hardly been mentioned since.

Hermoso joined Espanyol from Real Madrid in 2017, having never appeared for Madrid’s first team after coming through their academy. Since then, the 24-year-old has really made a name for himself in La Liga.

Then there were rumours that Real Madrid wanted to activate their buy-back clause of €7.5m. However, Arsenal were also very interested, according to a report from Marca.

Hermoso played 32 games in Espanyol’s league campaign, scoring three goals and helping them keep nine clean sheets. It’s no surprise the big clubs are starting to take an interest, and that only increased after the Spaniard made his international debut in November.