Arsenal transfer rumour: Gunners step up efforts in signing long-term target William Carvalho in January

Arsenal are considering a move in signing Sporting star William Carvalho in the January transfer window to bolster the defensive midfield position. He has long been a target for the Gunners and an injury in July forced them to end their interest in the summer.

The Portuguese international returned to action in October and has regained his earlier form. Arsene Wenger is a long term admirer of the midfielder and Goal.com reports that the north London club have stepped up their interest in bringing him to the Emirates.

Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla have been sidelined with injuries and are not expected to return until March. Mathieu Flamini is starting in the defensive position and Wenger is keen on strengthening the position to improve his side's chance of winning the title this season.

Arsenal sit second in the table with 33 points from 16 matches, two points behind league leaders Leicester City. Carvalho has been instrumental for Sporting so far this season as they sit on top of the Primeira Liga table.

The 23-year-old has been widely scouted by the English giants who will make an effort to land him in January. Sporting will be looking to block the transfer as they are chasing the league title this season and losing Carvalho will leave them with a void in the midfield.

The Gunners' manager is assessing his options in bringing in a player to the club in the mid-season transfer window. FC Porto's 18-year-old midfielder Ruben Neves and Sevilla's Grzegorz Krychowiak are on Arsenal's radar, but they are unlikely to swap clubs midway through the 2015/16 campaign.

Carvalho is the ideal fit for Wenger's side and the Frenchman had earlier admitted that he would do a signing if the right player becomes available in Janaury. Wenger said, "We are in a position where we want to do something. If I find the right quality I will do something."

"Who doesn't love a bargain? What is for us a bargain is to buy top quality as only top quality strengthens our squad. Patrick Vieira cost £2.5 million and was a top bargain, first of all because he was a top quality player. We spent £40 million on Ozil and I still consider it a bargain because we got a top quality player.

"Mesut is not only a provider now; he likes to get on the end of things. What he has added is the runs into the box. He played before like he was not too obsessed with scoring, now he has a more balance between giving and producing."