Arsenal target Loic Perrin: Gunners interest in defender 'stopped since initial enquiry'

The agent of Saint-Etienne defender Loic Perrin has played down talk of a move to Arsenal for his client, insisting interest from north London at this stage has been nothing more than a passing enquiry.

Perrin, 29, revealed on Monday 5 January that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had contacted him personally as the Gunners look to strengthen their defensive options after an injury-ravaged first half of the season.

The 29-year-old centre-back added no formal approach has been made to St Etienne as of yet and his agent, David Venditelli, insists there has been no follow up approach from the Premier League side.

"Today, there is nothing. The situation is simple, we were ask for information and it stopped there, I do not know why there is all this speculation," Venditelli told Eurosport France.

However, Venditelli added: "The players, staff, management, everyone would be disappointed [if Perrin were to leave St Etienne] but everyone could understand."

St Etienne skipper Perrin has played an integral role in his club's campaign, where they have conceded the least amount of goals this season, helping their impressive rise to fourth in the French top flight.

Club president Bernard Caiazzo last week also played down talk of his captain's departure, suggesting Arsenal are monitoring "four or five" defenders ahead of Perrin.

"I know for a fact Arsenal are not even certain to recruit a defender this winter," Caiazzo told Eurosport last week. "The Gunners listed four, five defenders. Between this and the transfer of Loic Perrin, there is a huge gap."

Arsenal's injury woes have eased somewhat in recent weeks but the club will be expected to bolster their backline during a season where Kieran Gibbs, Mathieu Debuchy, Nacho Monreal, Calum Chambers and Laurent Koscielny have all been absent through injury and suspension.

Wenger's decision not to recruit another centre-half during the summer transfer window, following Thomas Vermaelen's departure to Barcelona, has remained under scrutiny throughout the season, something the Frenchman may rectify this month.