Mikel Arteta Eyeing 'Reliable' Claudio Bravo With Bernd Leno Out Injured

Arsenal could look to make a move for Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, with boss Mikel Arteta viewing him as a 'reliable' option to replace the injured Bernd Leno.

Leno sustained a horrific injury during the Gunners' dramatic 2-1 defeat to Brighton on Saturday, after the goalkeeper collided with Seagulls forward Neal Maupay.

However, Arsenal provided a very positive injury update on the player, confirming that they can expect to see him back in training in four to six weeks.

Despite this and the fact that the Gunners also have Emiliano Martinez available, Spanish journalist Kike Marin has reported on his official Twitter account that the north Londoners could look to make a move for Bravo. The 37-year-old's contract is due to expire at the end of June and although Pep Guardiola did confirm the shot-stopper had agreed a short-term contract extension until the completion of the current campaign, no official announcement has yet been made.

Arteta, of course, knows Bravo well from his time at Man City and sees him as a reliable goalkeeper, and one who could successfully fill in for Leno during his time on the sidelines. Additionally, Marin further notes that Bravo 'isn't a bad option' to replace the German.

The problem for Arsenal, however, is that 'not being bad' isn't exactly the best way for the north Londoners to get back to challenging for the top four and competing in Europe, is it? The City man has made a number of high-profile mistakes - notably his horror show in the Manchester derby on his debut. Considering the current state of the Arsenal defence, would the addition of someone like Bravo actually have much of a positive impact?

The Chilean has opened up on the interest in his services, telling TVN (as quoted by the Metro) that he considers it an 'honour' to be linked with the clubs being reported. He said: "There is nowhere in the world I would not consider playing. I’ve read the names of the clubs that have been linked with me and I regard that as an honour because they are very good clubs.

"I’m proud that I have attracted interest from the clubs mentioned. What I and my family are looking for is a club with stability and a comfortable environment to live. It depends on several factors, it depends on the club and the project that the club has. I will consider all my options and make a decision soon."

With Leno expected to return to training in potentially just over one month, it seems highly illogical that they would target a replacement - especially someone like Bravo, who has put in countless shaky performances in recent seasons.

Then again, following the news that Arsenal have given long-term contracts to Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares, while also handing a one-year extension to David Luiz, it wouldn't really be a surprise to see the Gunners move for Bravo.