According to the Evening Standard, Arsenal have dismissed an approach from West Ham to take Kieran Gibbs on loan for the upcoming season.

The Hammers are understood to be on the lookout for a new left-back after Aaron Cresswell suffered knee ligament damage and have identified Gibbs, 26, as a possible replacement.

After falling behind Nacho Monreal in the left-back pecking order at the Emirates, the England international made only 12 starts for the Gunners in the last campaign and has been linked with a permanent move away from the Emirates.

Given Arsenal’s need for reinforcements at the back, it’s hardly surprising that we’re unwilling to let any defenders leave the club right now; whether they are entertaining such thoughts or not.

Nacho Monreal has previously featured as an auxiliary centre-back, a state of affairs that could potentially play out again in the coming weeks given Per Mertesacker is injured, Laurent Koscielny is still on holiday and Rob Holding lacks Premier League experience.

Should Monreal be asked to fill a central role, Gibbs is the only viable first team candidate to replace him at left-back.