Who can Arsenal get to fill the void left by Francis Coquelin's injury?

The 24-year-old French midfielder was one of the discoveries of the season in the second half of last year after returning from a loan at Charlton Athletic with Arsenal in the midst of an injury crisis.

There's a delicious irony that the unlikely saviour during an injury crisis almost a year ago could prove to be the club's irreplaceable man now.

After a summer in which Arsene Wenger held the purse strings tight and failed to invest in a single outfield player - the only Premier League team to do so - is it any wonder that Arsenal now find themselves light in such a key position?

As you go down the list of potential replacements that Wenger can call upon, the situation looks more and more desperate for the Gunners - especially when their manager name-checks centre-back and occasional right-back Calum Chambers as a possible alternative.

"We have players that play in Coquelin's position like Mathieu Flamini and others that can play in his position like Calum Chambers," said Wenger.

"Sometimes it is an opportunity for others to show they can do the job."

Naturally England centre-back Calum Chambers immediately sprang into Wenger's mind as he considered his midfield options. The former Southampton youngster has played across the back line for Arsenal, and the Frenchman clearly feels the 20-year-old can do a job higher up the pitch.

The news that an injury to Arsenal's captain is not as bad as first feared should come as respite to the fans, but if his disastrous 35-minute cameo against West Brom on Saturday is anything to go by, it's a further blow to their season.

The Spanish midfielder looked every inch his 33 years as he endured a horror show at the Hawthorns, giving away the free-kick that led to the West Brom equaliser before his own goal - scored, almost unbelievably, with his hand - proved to be the decisive strike. Wenger will be hoping that some younger and more energetic options can fill in for Coquelin.

Arsenal's Welsh wizard is back in training and Wenger confirmed that the 24-year-old is in contention to feature against Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday. Despite failing to hit the heights of his sensational 2013-14 season in recent months, Ramsey remains a key performer for the Gunners.

Though it limits his own game he is more than capable of stepping into a defensive position if he can prove his fitness.

A 17-year-old January signing from Legia Warsaw, Bielik may not be the ideal solution for Arsenal fans, but that won't stop Wenger. When he said in his press-conference on Tuesday that there are replacements in the squad his mind may have been cast to the Polish Under-17 international. That he made his debut in the 3-0 Capital One Cup defeat at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday doesn't inspire confidence.

The 20-year-old Spaniard is currently on loan at Birmingham, where he has been quietly impressive. If anyone could "do a Coquelin" this season and make the grade from Championship loanee to regular starter, the former Barcelona academy player would be high up the list.

Could the 33-year-old Swedish midfielder be set for a sensational return to the Gunners fold? Unlikely. But few saw the former Lyon star making the move to the Emirates in January 2014 and Wenger has become renowned for springing a surprise in the transfer market. Currently at Swiss side Grasshopper, could he be set to add to his four Arsenal appearances?

Let go in the summer by Arsene Wenger after repeatedly failing to prove his fitness at the club, the French midfielder is back to doing what he does best at Marseille - sitting on the treatment table. The 29-year-old powerhouse has seen his playing career ruined by injury in recent years, but his former manager rarely relented in giving him one more chance. It would be quite the comeback.

Southampton's Kenyan midfielder came very close to leaving the Saints in the summer, but stayed put with Ronald Koeman very reluctant to let his man go. At only 24-years of age the central midfielder is approaching the peak years of his career and continues to impress on the south coast. Wenger failed to move for his former team-mate Morgan Schneiderlin in the summer, but the ex-Celtic star is one of the stand out defensive midfielders on the market in the Premier League.

The legendary and iconic Spanish midfielder Xavi left Barcelona in the summer having won everything he could. Now at Qatari side Al-Sadd, could the 35-year-old be harking for a return to European competition? If the offer was to be made, a last hurrah with Arsenal and Wenger might be an extremely attractive proposition. Could a stab at the Premier League tempt the pass-master to leave the Middle East?