Arsenal and Tottenham are not only set to rival each other for that final Champions League place by the looks of things this season.

The North London duo both look set to enter the January transfer market for a defensive midfielder with both reportedly having set their sights on Southampton star Morgan Schneiderlin.

But with the Saints currently flying high above both in fourth position and given the way in which the club refused three big money offers for him in the summer, signing the French international this winter will be no easy task.

There are a fair few clubs on the lookout for a player in the Schneiderlin mould so it would do Arsenal and Tottenham no harm to identify some alternatives as quickly as possible.

Here we have gone through the rumours and come up with five possible alternatives for both clubs to look at should Southampton manage to hold onto Schneiderlin for a second successive transfer window.
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Click on Morgan Schneiderlin to reveal the 5 Arsenal & Tottenham alternatives if the Frenchman stays put.

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William Carvalho 

The 22-year-old is the next big talent to emerge from Portugal and has been attracting interest from a host of top European clubs around Europe.

Carvalho is unlikely to come cheap with his club Sporting Lisbon having put a price tag of £30 million on his head  but this would be a smart investment for both the present and the future.

Carvalho is an all-action central midfielder, capable of breaking up the play and defending as well as producing the goods going forward.

Sami Khedira 

The German World Cup winner has been consistently linked with a move away from Real Madrid over the past 12 months given his struggles for regular first team football and his current contractual situation.

Khedira has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.

The German contingent already at the Emirates Stadium, as well as his wage demands may make him more of a realistic target for the Gunners but Tottenham have had no trouble in attracting players of his calibre to White Hart Lane in the past – especially if the offer of regular first team football coincides with their current winning form.

Adrien Rabiot 

At just 19-years-old, Adrien Rabiot may not be the answer to both sides’ defensive midfield problems just yet. But if they can afford him a little time to settle, the Frenchman has all the potential to become a top class player.

He is another who has grown frustrated at the lack of regular first team football at Paris Saint-Germain, having made his debut at just 17 years of age.

He has represented France at every level up to Under-21 and has been linked with both North London sides as well as Manchester United and Italian giants Roma.

Moussa Sissoko 

Another Frenchman believed to be on both clubs wanted list is Newcastle United’s midfield enforcer Moussa Sissoko.

Sissoko has been the main man behind the Toon Army’s revival this season and has caught the interest of a number of top clubs. Arsenal have been the side most heavily linked but Tottenham may also fancy their chances of snapping him up this winter given the current situation on Tyneside.

There is currently uncertainty surrounding the future of Alan Pardew at St. James’ Park, with the Newcastle boss the odds on favourite to succeed Neil Warnock at his former club Crystal Palace.

That could leave the door open for a club to nip in and sign Sissoko given that Pardew was the man who brought him to the Premier League in the first place.

Christoph Kramer

The 23-year-old was a part of the German squad that lifted the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and is highly-rated in his homeland. Kramer is currently on loan with Borussia Monchengladbach from Bayern Leverkusen where his impressive performances have attracted attention from the Premier League.

Despite having only just signed a new two year contract with Leverkusen, this is seen as little more than a ploy to raise more money for his sale this winter.

The right offer from either Arsenal or Tottenham would see the Bunsdesliga club find it very difficult to say no despite Kramer’s reputation as one of the best young players in Germany.