While all eyes were on the possibility of bringing in Mario Gotze from Borussia Drotmund, it now looks like Arsenal are closing in on defender Mats Hummels with talks reportedly underway.
While the need for a central defender might be debatable, with Arsenal already having Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny and Thomas Vermaelen, there is little doubt that a player of Hummels' caliber will add that extra bit of quality, leadership and calming presence to the Gunners' back-four.
Arsenal have started negotiations with Dortmund over a move for the central defender, who has also been tracked by Barcelona, with a fee of around £18 million ($28 million) being mooted, according to Fichajes.
Now let's look at this objectively. Hummels only recently signed a new long-term deal with Dortmund, a contract which keeps him at the German club until 2017. He is the first name on Jurgen Klopp's list and has started every single Bundesliga game.
While the title might be out of reach for Dortmund, they are still very much in the Champions League. At 24, Hummels can only get better.
While it is conceivable that he might join Arsenal, it is unlikely to be in January; meaning the talks that are underway might in all probability be for a summer move.
However, Hummels is likely to cost a lot more than £18 million ($28 million), with Dortmund having the upperhand owing to the defender having more than four years left on his contract.
There are going to be some major changes to Arsenal in the summer, and some of that will be with big-money transfers. Hummels is the kind of defender that every team wants - comfortable on the ball and calm under pressure; able to read the game as well as having that leadership quality to command respect.
Leaders are what Arsenal lack at the moment and completing a move for the German international might just be one step in the right direction of bringing in proven winners who want bottle it under pressure.
Confidence is something that can rub off on an entire team from just one source and Hummels, without putting too much pressure on him of course, has the ability to do just that.
If Arsene Wenger is determined enough, he might just convince the defender to move in January, with the manager reportedly in Germany earlier this week trying to tie up a move for an unnamed player.
Either way, be it this month or in the summer, Hummels will be a gem of a capture were it to be made.
