Arsenal poised to make £20million bid for German international Christoph Kramer as Gunners eye midfield reinforcements

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Arsenal are ready to make a £20million January move for Germany international Christoph Kramer, even though his selling club Bayer Leverkusen are determined not to let him depart this winter.

The defensive midfielder, who is currently on loan at Borussia Mönchengladbach, is high on Arsenal’s list to shore up their midfield. 

Sunday's fixture against Liverpool at Anfield, which they lost 5-1 last season, is an uncomfortable reminder of the defensive deficiencies of the team.

VIDEO Scroll down to see Kramer's recent spectacular 45-yard own goal 

Germany midfielder Christoph Kramer is being targeted by Premier League side Arsenal 

And with Wenger reluctant to buy a stop-gap player in the January window, he would clearly rather pursue a leading target and see if there is a possibility of concluding a deal now, even though getting the midfielder out of Mönchengladbach is extremely complicated.

A two-season loan to Mönchengladbach was agreed with Leverkusen in 2013 and so stunning has his progress been that Kramer not only made the German World Cup squad but started the final, although he had to go off after 31 minutes with concussion.

Having spent two years on loan at Vfl Bochum, the 23-year-old has yet to make a first-team appearance for his parent club. 

Leverkusen will not sell for less than £25m and want him back in the summer.

Lars Bender is also a target but it is just as difficult to prise him from Leverkusen, having signed a new contract last season. 

Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin is also being monitored, although the club show little inclination to sell during January.

The Gunners have been impressed by the performances of IIkay Gundogan (left) and Lars Bender (right)

Ilkay Gundogan, Borussia Dortmund’s Germany international, is another holding midfielder who has impressed Arsenal but Wenger would want to be sure the player has fully recovered after he spent most of last year out with injury.

Nevertheless, Arsenal are ready to inquire about Kramer, with Wenger insisting he is ready to spend in January and that the widely-held view of him as a frugal manager is misconceived.

‘If we find the right player we will do it,’ said Wenger. ‘I said that many times, without any doubt. I’m not scared to spend money and if you go out with me at night, you will understand.

‘I don’t like to spend your money but I like to spend my money. 

'There were periods where we didn’t have the money. What I don’t like is to spend the money I don’t have.

'What I did fight against was to spend money that would put the future of the club in danger.’

Wenger is also searching for a centre half, although the club ideally want a younger player who can develop, rather than a multi-million pound star.

Although Calum Chambers is already providing back-up in central defence, Arsenal have concluded that they need a fourth central defender, with Laurent Koscielny having struggled with injury this season.

Calum Chambers (left) has impressed while Norwegian wonder kid Martin Odegaard (right) is a target

Norwegian teenage star Martin Odegaard, who spent part of last week training at the club, is a possible signing although Bayern Munich are confident that he will choose them.

Odegaard is now training at Barcelona, with Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool also interested in signing him.

Much will depend on which club his father, former player and current coach Hans Erik, decides will be best for his son’s development.

Odegaard is an attacking midfield, however, and defence is the area in which Arsenal will look to improve in January.

Shortly after last season’s thrashing at Liverpool, they fell 3-0 down inside 17 minutes to Chelsea in a game they lost 6-0.

Going 3-0 down to Stoke in the first half two weeks ago is an indication that the tactical and defensive problems are far from resolved.

Arsene Wenger believes the Gunners are starting to show signs of improvement

Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (left) could be fit to start against Liverpool on Sunday

‘I think we are getting better,’ said Wenger. ‘We have to show that in the final part of the season. We go now in the Premier League, we need to win games.

‘After that we have the FA Cup, the Champions League. Without defensive solidity you have no future.

‘The defeat at Stoke was significant because we got a big disappointment and we got a lot of criticism and I think we responded well, because we scored eight goals in the next two games.

‘It shows two things: first that the group is healthy because it can respond and has a unity.

‘And also, even in the game against Stoke when you look again, we were poor defending but going forward we were not disastrous at all.’