Tony Adams has revealed to setanta.com that Arsenal are tracking an Italian defender as Arsene Wenger bids to banish his team's weakness at the back.
The former Gunners captain has been in the employ of Wenger since leaving his job as Portsmouth manager in February, with Adams acting as a scout for the Frenchman.
Arsenal have been linked with a move for Ajax defender Thomas Vermaelen, but Adams refuted suggestions that the Belgian could be the man to shore up an ailing backline, with the 42-year-old instead concentrating his search in Italy.
The Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini is among those to have been linked with a move to The Gunners.
“I’ve been down to Italy mainly,” Adams told setanta.com.
“The Italians don’t usually travel well, but I think this lad that I’m looking at may if we can come up with the money and there is a money issue at the Arsenal at the moment."
Of Arsenal's reported interest in Vermaelen, Adams added: "I think Thomas is a very good player but I don’t think he’s ready for the Arsenal.
"I don’t think the punters at Arsenal would like another small one.
"I don’t know whether he [Wenger] will end up going for a bigger player. We’ll see how much money we’ve got first.
"I have been looking at the Dutch league, but to be honest with you it’s been decimated.
"It’s a poor league at the moment, there’s one or two players but they’re leaving too early as well."
A sweeping change of Arsenal’s unconvincing defence has been advocated in some quarters, but Adams believes the measures taken need not be quite so drastic.
He continued: “I think Arsenal need something in both boxes. Defensively, certainly, Arsene’s said it himself.
“But Sagna lost his brother and I think for six or seven months it really affected him and Clichy’s been injured so you’ve taken the full backs out.
“Williams Gallas has not been there either so that’s three big players who have not been in contention.
“It’s the balance that’s lacking. I like Alex Song, I think he’s improved but I think they need maybe even two holding players.”
Adams’s advice is often heeded by Wenger, but the England international recalled two occasions when he was quite clearly ignored.
He added: “I value his support and if there’s some way that I can help the man then I will. I have, for the last four months since Portsmouth, been in Europe.
“I’ve been watching a lot of games in Spain, in France.
“Even going back to the days when I was at Feyenoord and I used to go and watch the French league on a Friday night.
“Adebayor was playing for Monaco against Lille and he said what do you think of the left winger and I actually said no! And he bought him anyway! And Rosicky in Germany and he bought him anyway!”
Adams was speaking to setanta.com at Nationwide's HQ.