Arsenal monitor Nantes defensive midfielder Jordan Veretout

Arsenal are considering a move in signing Nantes midfielder Jordan Veretout in January, according to the Mirror.

The 21-year-old came up through the ranks of the Ligue 1 club's youth setup before breaking into the first team in 2011. So far this season, he has scored six goals and managed four assists from 18 games, starting in a defensive midfield position.

Veretout has been closely watched by the north London club and his form for Nantes has already attracted interest from Inter Milan and several Spanish clubs.

The Gunners have the services of Mathieu Flamini, Abou Diaby and Mikel Arteta as the defensive midfielders in the squad. Diaby has spent most of his club career on the treatment table, while the former Everton man's return has been ruled out until January.

Arsene Wenger has already revealed that Arsenal have the funds at their disposal to bring in new faces to the club in the mid-season transfer window. With the latest injury setback to Arteta, the French manager has been forced to make reinforcements in the defensive midfield position when the transfer window re-opens next month.

In addition to this, the Emirates club will also be looking to add another defender to their squad in January. Wenger admitted that Arsenal's back four lack leadership and claims Per Mertesacker has struggled after winning the World Cup with Germany in the summer.

"Of course it's important to have someone organising. Sometimes it's just one yard forward or backward that makes a difference. You want somebody to take the leadership there," Wenger said, as quoted by the Mirror.

On Mertesacker, Arsenal manager said: "For a 19 year old player, he has played too many games. They all hit the wall after 15, 17 games. You have to give them a breather, refresh and get them back again."

"And at the moment, to have that responsibility in every single game is a lot on a player of that age," Wenger stressed.

Veretout's contract runs down in the summer of 2017 and he has a £4m release clause in his contract. The Frenchman's asking price fits Arsenal's bill and the move for him next month will strengthen the Gunners' midfield.

Nantes did not qualify for this season's Champions League and a move for Veretout in January will help Wenger include him in the European competition. The Gunners face AS Monaco in the last 16 of Europe's elite club competition.