Arsenal are set to activate the £51m release clause of Sporting Lisbon’s best player Goncalo Inacio in a January swoop

According to The Sun, Arsenal are tracking Sporting Lisbon defender Goncalo Inacio and could sign him in January if there is another serious injury.

The Portuguese center-back has been linked with a move to England for several years. Several Premier League teams have him on their radar and The Sun claims Arsenal are monitoring him.

The London giants have no intention of making a bid for the 22-year-old in January, but could reportedly enter the market for his services if there is another long-term injury in the defense.

Arsenal have been without Jurrien Timber for some time due to a knee problem, while Takehiro Tomiyasu is out until January with a thigh muscle injury. The club still has plenty of options for a central defender.

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are the main center backs for the Gunners. Jakub Kiwior and Ben White can fill the central defensive positions in the absence of both players.

According to The Sun, Inacio has a buyout clause in his contract worth £52 million. Manchester United and Liverpool are also interested in him, but Sporting still expect to keep him until the summer.

Unlikely deal

Arsenal may have limited funds to invest in January due to Financial Fair Play restrictions. They are likely to spend the transfer budget on an area that they need to improve, which is the midfield.

Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah have scored 14 goals in the current season, but only 8 have been scored in the Premier League. The Gunners need much more to have the best chance of winning the league.

Brentford’s Ivan Toney has been earmarked as Arsenal’s main target and they could invest most of the winter budget in him instead of completing the purchase of Inacio. The Canaries don’t need another center back right now.

He could become a necessity if one of Salib or Gabriel gets injured, but they have no such worries at the moment. Tomiyasu is only a short-term absentee, so the Gunners should have him in the squad after his Asian Cup commitments.

Timber may also be available for the start of the season, but he should not be rushed after a serious knee injury. We think the Gunners will prefer a new striker as they need more offensive firepower on the move.