Arsenal are showing no signs of slowing down with their summer spending, as despite taking their total outlay beyond £200m earlier this week, they continue to be linked with additional acquisitions.
Is Marc Guehi leaving Crystal Palace?
The latest comes courtesy of The Guardian, who despite seeking to detail Chelsea's interest in bringing Marc Guehi back to Stamford Bridge, also mention other interested parties later on in the report.
The Gunners are referenced beside their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with the pair said to have tracked the 23-year-old centre-back without having made a move for him.
This reluctance to pounce could be attributed to his mouth-watering £50m price tag which was noted back in May, and could prevent clubs from truly pursuing Crystal Palace's top defender. However, with the free-spending nature of Mikel Arteta already showcased, a swoop for the England international remains a very real possibility.
What position is Marc Guehi?
Should the Spanish coach decide to push for this 6-foot colossus though, it could spell bad news for one of his January signings, as Jakub Kiwior could see his opportunities dwindle even more.
The Poland international only featured in seven league games since moving from Spezia, likely willing to accept his role as the first reserve behind Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.
However, should Guehi enter the fray, he would likely be forced even further down the pecking order, negating his pathway to the first team, especially considering the gulf in experience between him and the Eagles' young titan, who has already enjoyed two full years in the Premier League despite being the same age.
This is only emphasised given that just last term the former Chelsea academy gem maintained a 6.94 average rating in the league, featuring in all but one of his side's matches and maintaining 1.2 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and 3.6 clearances per game. His 85% pass accuracy only further outlines his all-around and ball-playing excellence, via Sofascore.
These are impressive figures for a gem able to play on the right or left side of central defence, making him an even more valuable asset.
Whilst Kiwior mustered some similarly impressive figures in his final 17 Serie A games before departing, with his 6.83 average rating facilitating his 1.4 interceptions, 1.3 tackles and four clearances per game, via Sofascore, it is unlikely that he would be trusted to translate this into the English game rather than simply opt for Guehi, should he join.
This is especially pertinent given the glowing support that the Ivory Coast-born ace has been given, with journalist Simon Johnson branding him an "exciting prospect" upon making the brave decision to depart Stamford Bridge.
Guehi has also been lauded as one of the strongest amongst his old England U21 group too, with goalkeeper Josef Bursik having branded him an "absolute tank".
To compare this effusive praise with the muted narrative surrounding Kiwior, it quickly becomes clear who would be favoured if Arteta is to make this move a reality.
Especially after the 23-year-old's lack of game time during his first six months in north London, of which Saliba missed a large portion.
Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth even outlined this, noting back in May:
"He's a young player though, even though he's played for Poland at the World Cup.
"I think Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal coaching staff just want to ease him in. So, maybe not fully ready for Premier League football just now. Otherwise, I think he probably would have played [more]."
This lack of faith juxtaposed with the unbridled support Guehi is garnering, would undoubtedly spell bad news for Kiwior who could see his career at the Emirates end before it has even had a chance to get underway.