Arsenal are reportedly discussing a fresh transfer target as Mikel Arteta's side prepare to face Nottingham Forest

Arsenal are gearing up to take on Nottingham Forest on Sunday, though off-field matters have equally drawn focus heading into the weekend. Mikel Arteta's outfit will aim to apply pressure on league leaders Manchester City as they look to defend the Premier League title.

The Arsenal manager may be forced to cope without several players due to injury after both midfielder Martin Zubimendi and full-back Piero Hincapie sustained ankle problems during a cool down following last week's victory over Leeds. The duo join Christos Tzolis and William Saliba on the club's treatment table.

The latter has proved a significant omission for Arteta's squad after suffering a back complaint during the World Cup. The centre-back has resumed individual training, though his manager has remained guarded about when Saliba, who was missing from the team's squad photo, might be back available.

The club's defensive setbacks have sparked speculation linking Bayern Munich star Kim Min-jae ahead of the January transfer window. Here, football.london examines some of the most significant developments surrounding the Gunners.

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Fresh transfer target discussed

Bayern centre-back Kim is reportedly on Arsenal's radar as the side grapple with defensive injuries. The Gunners have been deprived of Saliba throughout this campaign, leading Cristhian Mosquera and new arrival Ezri Konsa to deputise for the France international.

Despite the Premier League champions' considerable depth in defence, CFBayernInsider reports that Kim has been identified and features on the Gunners' shortlist of potential targets. It is worth noting that Arsenal's head of scouting Maurizio Micheli was previously responsible for bringing Kim to Napoli from Fenerbahce in 2022.

The report claims that Arsenal are considering defensive targets ahead of the January transfer window and Kim may be available for an appropriate fee. The South Korean international has slipped to third choice at Bayern, behind Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah, though he was reluctant to leave the German club during the summer.

Kim moved to Bayern in 2023 and remains contracted until 2028. The 29-year-old has featured six times across all competitions this season, starting two of the club's five league fixtures.

Arsenal forced to issue statement

Arsenal moved swiftly to allay concerns after Saliba was absent from the team's official squad photograph. The 2026/27 picture was taken at the club's Sobha Realty Training Centre on Wednesday and shared on social media.

Saliba was not seen alongside his colleagues, prompting the club to issue a clarification regarding the defender's whereabouts. Shortly after the photograph was published, Arsenal confirmed: "Due to a medical appointment, William Saliba was not available this afternoon."

The central defender recently resumed individual training, with Arteta speaking encouragingly about his progress while stopping short of committing to a return date.

When pressed on whether Saliba could be back in action following the November international break, the Arsenal boss said: "I don't know, we're still talking about weeks, and when that happens it's very different whether he would play just before, or after that, because it's a very specific injury that he processes."