Arsenal are reportedly looking to steal a march on their rivals for highly-rated Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio by offering a package deal worth up to €60 million, including bonuses.
According to Portuguese outlet A Bola (via Sport Witness), there’s a growing feeling inside the Sporting CP dressing room that they are about to lose their in-demand defender, Goncalo Inacio, in the January transfer window. The Gunners’ are the leading candidates to land the Portuguese international and are formulating an offer of €40 million fixed fee plus €20 million in bonuses to acquire his services.
It’s certainly well documented that Mikel Arteta would like to add a defender to his Arsenal ranks in January as a priority. It should not be overstated how much Jurrien Timber’s long-term ACL injury has hampered Arsenal’s plans this season.
The versatile defender was brought in to provide Arteta with an option that could invert into midfield while maintaining defensive stability. Nevertheless, with Takehiro Tomiyasu often absent due to injury and now away at the AFC Asian Cup, the Gunners’ need a quality addition, with 22-year-old Portuguese defender Inacio someone the North Londoners are monitoring.
Inacio made his senior Sporting debut as a teenager in October 2020 and has since risen to become one of the most exciting prospects in the Primeira Liga. He is turning heads at the Estadio Jose Alvalade and has been a rock at the back since his inclusion, making 95 top-flight appearances and helping Sporting to the top of the Primeira Liga this season.
He has also broken into the Portugal national team under Roberto Martinez, and as a result of his recent exploits for club and country, the 22-year-old has been garnering a lot of traction from several Premier League clubs over the last few months.
Manchester United and Liverpool have been showing an interest in acquiring his services, but the Gunners have recently emerged as the front-runners for the Portugal international. Inacio has a €60 million release clause in a contract that expires in June 2027, and the Lions are prepared to hold out for an offer close to that value.
Calm with the ball at his feet and an accurate passer under pressure, Inacio is really a modern-day defender and will likely suit the demands of Mikel Arteta’s system. This is sure to be one to watch, with the above report claiming that there could be real potential for Arsenal to get this deal done in January.
