Arsenal transfer news: Arsene Wenger monitoring Benedikt Howedes, William Carvalho and Luiz Gustavo - reports

Trio being watched by Gunners boss as he seeks defensive additions

(Getty Images)

Arsene Wenger is monitoring a trio of players as he looks to make a defensive addition before the end of the transfer window, according to reports.

World Cup winner Benedikt Howedes, Brazil's Luiz Gustavo and William Carvalho of Portugal are the names at the top of Wenger's wanted list, according to the Daily Telegraph.

With the Gunners boss admitting he wanted another defender after the impressive Community Shield victory over Manchester City, Arsenal are expected to make at least one addition before the window shuts at the end of the month.

"If I can find another centre-back I will do it," Wenger said after the impressive 3-0 win.

With the sale of Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona at the weekend and versatile Bacary Sagna to City earlier this summer, Wenger only has two senior centre-backs to choose from.

Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny are the clear first-choice but Wenger's lack of options was exposed at Wembley.

Calum Chambers has impressed in his three outings in the middle, but he is still just 19 and spent most of last season as a right-back, while Wenger was forced to use Spanish left-back Nacho Monreal when Koscielny left the field with injury; Mertesacker has only just returned to training and is likely to be unavailable for the start of the season.

Howedes, the current skipper of Schalke, was one of Germany's most impressive performers in Brazil, playing every minute of the victorious tournament. He is usually a centre-back but the 26-year-old showed his versatility by playing at left-back.

Gustavo, 27, and Carvalho, 22, are both holding midfielders by trade, but capable of filling in if needed.

Wolfsburg's Gustavo, also able to play at left-back, is a long-term target and almost arrived at the Emirates from Bayern Munich last summer before he was sold to their Bundesliga rivals.

Carvalho, 22, has the tools to succeed in defence (Getty Images)

However, Gustavo has today said he is happy in Germany: "I am back in training and I want to play on for Wolfsburg to help the team succeed."

Carvalho, just shy of 6ft 2in and an impressive athlete, also has the skills to succeed in defence though he hasn't played the position often.

Arsenal have already spent £60m this summer but the money raised by the sale of Vermaelen is available to spend.