Per Mertesacker is playing for his future at Arsenal.
The Telegraph says Mertesacker is playing for his future at Arsenal with manager Arsène Wenger still weighing up an end-of-season move for another defender.
The 30-year-old now needs to convince Wenger that he does not need further defensive reinforcements at the end of the season or faces being squeezed out at the Emirates.
He will start on Monday in the FA Cup at Manchester United.