Arsène Wenger will move to bring a Premier League centre-half to Arsenal after the luckless Thomas Vermaelen suffered yet another setback in his battle to recover from a mystery achilles problem.

Wenger had hoped that Vermaelen would demonstrate significant progress in his rehabilitation this month and thus spare him the need to enter the transfer market for cover in the position. But as he prepared for the Carling Cup semi-final first leg away to Ipswich Town, Wenger conceded that the frustration with Vermaelen would compel him to act.

The manager, who said Sébastien Squillaci's hamstring injury would keep him out for two to three weeks, further reducing his options in central defence, said he would prefer the new signing to come from the Premier League. Wenger is an admirer of Gary Cahill at Bolton Wanderers while other targets include Manchester City's Joleon Lescott and Phil Jagielka at Everton, whom he attempted to sign in the summer.

"Ideally, it would be better if they were adapted to English football because if you need players now in January you cannot wait three months before they can play for you," Wenger said. "We have always people in mind and we check out. We look everywhere.

"It's difficult to find at this period of the season but overall I feel we have so many games that it's very important to focus on the next game. We still have solutions internally with [Ignasi] Miquel [the reserve-team captain], [Alex] Song, who can play centre-back and with Squillaci, who should come back very quickly. If we find somebody at the right level we will do it, if not we will continue like this."

Vermaelen suffered the achilles injury in early September while on international duty with Belgium. His last appearance for Arsenal was at Blackburn Rovers on 28 August.

"He [Vermaelen] had a little setback on Saturday that we are a little concerned with," Wenger said. "We are consulting with the top specialists in the world and we will know more on Wednesday. Unfortunately, I cannot give you any precise date [for a comeback]. I concede that with that little setback with Thomas, we are in a situation where we will have to look around."

Wenger anticipates a tough task at Ipswich, having been reminded of the threat that Championship teams present by Leeds United on Saturday in the 1-1 FA Cup draw at Emirates Stadium. He also knows all about Connor Wickham, the England youth striker, who he feels will be Town's principal danger. Wenger has been linked with a move for him. "He is one of their star strikers," Wenger said. "We know him well, we have seen him many times. He is one of their players who can make a difference."

Wenger will rotate his squad for the tie and he confirmed that the 20-year-old Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny would start.