Arsenal made an enquiry for Real Sociedad defender Robin Le Normand in the January transfer window, according to a report.

Matteo Moretto reports for Relevo that Arsenal already asked about Robin Le Normand in the January transfer, and other Premier League teams have since joined the race for the Real Sociedad player.

Le Normand has a contract until 2026 and a release clause set at €50m (£44m), and Sociedad are keen not to budge on that price tag as they don’t need to sell.

The defender is French, though he has duel nationality and could also play for Spain if called upon.

For the time being, the various clubs with an interest in Le Normand are watching to see how he finishes the season before they decide whether to make a move for him.

The player himself is also not letting the market distract him, focusing on trying to help Sociedad to a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.

With nine games left, Le Normand’s side are in fourth and three points clear of Real Betis in fifth.

It seems unlikely Arsenal will return for Le Normand in the summer transfer window. The 26-year-old acts as a left-centre-back for Real Sociedad, and the Gunners already went on to sign Jakub Kiwior in the winter window.

But given Le Normand is right-footed, it’s possible Mikel Arteta could see him as an option on the right-hand side, despite his role with his current club.

Arteta tends to prefer using left-footed centre-backs on the left and right-footed centre-backs on the right, with Gabriel Magalhaes and Kiwior making up the left-sided options and William Saliba and Rob Holding the right-side options in the current squad.

Perhaps Takehiro Tomiyasu could be considered the exception to that rule, as a right-footed defender who is used at left-centre-back for club and country when not playing at right-back.

But Tomiyasu is so close to ambidextrous that he can pass for a left-footed player anyway.

As a right-footed left-centre-back, Le Normand would be a strange investment of funds this summer. On the right, perhaps there could be an argument that the Gunners need to upgrade their alternatives to Saliba.