Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Preparing £31.3m Bid to Sign Manchester United Target in January

Arsenal are reportedly ready to fork out £31.3 million to lure German defender Mats Hummels from his current club Borussia Dortmund in the January transfer window.

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is desperate to land a new defender in January as he has been forced to play with a makeshift defence, with left-back Nacho Monreal in the centre-back position and the inexperienced Calum Chambers in the right-back position following injuries to Laurent Koscielny (calf) and Mathieu Debuchy (ankle).

Arsenal have been linked to a number of defensive players in the last couple of weeks, but they are reportedly seriously considering a move for Hummels.

Although Manchester United have also been linked with a January move for the 25-year-old centre-back, Arsenal are currently the favourites to sign him as the German is reportedly interested in joining the Gunners probably due to Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski and Mesut Ozil being in the club.

And according to the Metro, Arsenal are preparing a bid in excess of £30 million for the former Bayern Munich defender in the winter transfer window.

It was earlier believed that Hummels, who has three more years remaining on his current contract with Dortmund, would be unwilling to move to a new club in January.

But he may be forced to change his mind due to Dortmund's poor run in the Bundesliga, where they are currently in 15^th position.

According to another report in the Metro, Arsenal are also keeping tabs on Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte, who has a £34 million release clause in his current contract.

However, the Gunners will not have it easy in their pursuit for the 20-year-old's signature as a host of big clubs including Manchester United are also believed to be interested in the young German.

Meanwhile, German forward Podolski says that he is considering leaving Arsenal in January after admitting that he is not happy with his current role at the North London club.

The 29-year-old forward, who arrived from FC Koln for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2012, has fallen down the pecking order, making only three Premier League appearances for Arsenal this season.

And the former Bayern Munich striker admits that he is not happy at Arsenal and might look to move elsewhere in January.

"I am not happy with the situation at the moment. It would be wrong to suggest that I am," Podolski told the Guardian.

"I still have fun playing football but when the competitive element of it is taken away from me, the one I enjoy so much, then I am not happy. I have to think about will happen this winter and will look to hold talks with the club."