Arsenal's title defence has been dealt a major blow, but Mikel Arteta's side are refusing to panic. With William Saliba ruled out for an extended period due to a back injury, the Gunners' management are preparing to splurge on a new centre-back to bolster their defensive options. It's no secret that Arsenal were reliant on the French international during his World Cup stint, and Arteta knows that a weakened defence is unlikely to mount a successful title challenge.
The transfer market is set to heat up as Arsenal look to plug the gap left by Saliba's absence. And it's understood that two high-profile targets are being strongly considered: Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa and former Manchester City defender John Stones, who's currently on the free agent market after seeing out his contract with the Citizens.
While some may argue that Arsenal already have a wealth of defensive options at their disposal - Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Califiori, Jurrien Timber, Cristhian Mosquera, and Ben White all vying for a spot in the starting XI - Arteta's preference is to maintain his first-choice full-backs in their accustomed roles. And with some of those players already on the injury list, it's a move that looks increasingly inevitable.
Saliba's injury blow has left the Gunners reeling, but they could be set for a welcome windfall from FIFA. The governing body's Club Protection Programme offers compensation of up to £5.6 million per incident - a hefty sum that could help ease the financial burden of their new signing.
Arsenal's season kicks off in just over a fortnight, with the Community Shield clash against Manchester City on 16 August in Cardiff followed by their Premier League opener against Coventry on 21 August. And while Saliba is set to miss out on that opening salvo, his teammates will be pushing for a statement win - and knowing that reinforcements are on the way could prove a timely boost.