European club now worried £55m player could leave with Arsenal very interested

It’s certainly no secret that Mikel Arteta would like to add a defender to his Arsenal squad in January as a priority.

It shouldn’t be underestimated just how much Jurrien Timber’s long-term injury has derailed Arsenal’s plans at the back this season.

The versatile defender was intended to provide Arteta with a player who could invert into midfield without sacrificing defensive stability.

That being said, with Takehiro Tomiyasu often absent due to injury and now at the Asian Cup, Arsenal need an addition.

Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio is a name often mentioned with January in mind.

And Portuguese outlet A Bola are now reporting that Sporting are increasingly worried that the defender could leave this month.

The report recognises Arsenal’s strong interest and names the club as a leading candidate to sign Inacio.

The 22-year-old centre-back is often linked with Europe’s top clubs, much like his centre-back partner Ousmane Diomande.

It seems Mikel Arteta is taking a deep interest in Sporting’s affairs right now, when you consider that Viktor Gyokeres is also a target.

Sporting Lisbon worried defender Goncalo Inacio could leave in January with Arsenal interested

And it would be interesting to know how the club hierarchy would rank both Incacio and Diomande in terms of their preference.

Inacio is thought to be available at around £55m, whereas Diomande could cost a lot more.

Of course, Sporting players aside, some fans may be surprised that it’s not a full-back Arsenal are targeting.

With Jakub Kiwior and Ben White able to provide cover for William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes in the middle, the area looks well stacked.

A full-back on either side of Arsenal’s defence may look more advisable, with there perhaps even being space for two.

There’s certainly a ton for Arteta to ponder over the coming days and weeks.