Arsenal wanted Alex Grimaldo over the summer and the Benfica star enjoyed a superb night in the Champions League on Tuesday.
It was clear over the summer that Arsenal wanted to bring in another left back.
Nuno Tavares really struggled in the second half of the season and it was no surprise to see him farmed out on loan to Marseille.
Kieran Tierney needed competition and after Manchester United beat Arsenal to Lisandro Martinez, the Gunners had to look elsewhere.
We know now that Arsenal signed Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City, and that move is working perfectly, but who else did they look at?
Arsenal wanted Alex Grimaldo
One of the targets was believed to be Benfica’s Grimaldo.
90Min claimed in July that Arsenal had opened talks to try and bring Grimaldo to North London.
Grimaldo is inside the final year of his Benfica contract and Arsenal were seemingly seeking a bargain deal.
Once Zinchenko became available though, Arsenal’s decision was easy and the Ukrainian became Kieran Tierney’s new competition.
Grimaldo remained with Benfica and may have just put himself in the shop window with a superb Champions League display on Tuesday night.
Benfica hosted Maccabi Haifa in their first game of the Champions League group stage.
Grimaldo set up the opening goal in a 2-0 win, crossing for winger Rafa to flick home the opening goal.
The 26-year-old then turned goalscorer, sending a long-range strike dipping and swerving beyond American goalkeeper Josh Cohen.
Commentator Phil Blacker hailed the ‘sensational goal’ from Grimaldo as the Spaniard put the seal on Benfica’s victory.
Arsenal will of course be very happy with Zinchenko, but Grimaldo has shown off his attacking prowess for Benfica and maybe other Premier League clubs are starting to take notice – especially with a potential bargain in the offing for January.
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