Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Considering Winter Move for Highly-Rated German Goalkeeper

Arsenal are reportedly looking to make a move for upcoming German goalkeeper Loris Karius when the transfer window opens on Saturday.

The 21-year-old, who is currently considered as the best goalkeeper in Germany after Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer, is reportedly up for grabs this month due to his contract with FSV Mainz 05 expiring at the end of the season.

Although the Gunners already have the likes of David Opsina and Emiliano Martinez amongst their ranks, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is reportedly eager to bring someone to provide some competition to his current first choice Wojciech Szscesny.

Earlier North London were being linked with a January move for Petr Cech, but that deal seems to have hit a dead end after Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho made it clear that he would not be selling any player to the Blues arch rivals.

As a result, Arsenal were forced to look at other options, and according to the Daily Mirror, the Gunners are now considering a move for Karius.

Wenger was believed to be prepared to wait until the summer to sign the 6ft 3in German goalkeeper, but latest reports claim that the Frenchman is now looking to make a swoop for him in the winter transfer window due to the youngster attracting interest from many other sides including Borussia Dortmund, Schalke and La Liga side Valencia also interested in him.

Karius, who is a product of Manchester City's academy, moved to FSV Mainz 05 in the summer of 2012 for an undisclosed fee after failing to break into the Citizens' first team.

Meanwhile, Wenger feels Arsenal's 0-2 defeat against Southampton was "self-inflicted", insisting that his side's paid a heavy price for their missed chances and sloppy defending.

"We put a lot of energy into the game and we were quite in control, but it is a self-inflicted defeat," Wenger told Arsenal Player.

"We were [dominant when Southampton scored], but we couldn't take our chances. On top of that, we not only couldn't take them but we gave them chances and that is too much at our level."

"It is not the first time it has happened. We did not defend well enough in the final third, and we paid a heavy price for it today."