Arsenal are now considered to be the favourites to sign Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio despite interest from rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Left-footed centre backs are in demand in the modern game and managers across the Premier League are chasing those players.
Arsenal already have two with Gabriel Magalhaes and Jakub Kiwior offering naturally left-footed options for Mikel Arteta.
Tottenham invested a hefty fee in a left-footed defender over the summer as Micky van de Ven came in from Wolfsburg.
The Dutchman’s injury means Ben Davies has been pressed into a centre back role and Tottenham may look for a more natural option in 2024.
Arsenal favourites to land Tottenham Hotspur target Goncalo Inacio
One of the most in-demand left-footed centre backs around right now is Sporting ace Goncalo Inacio.
The 22-year-old has been with Sporting for more than 10 years having risen up through the ranks.
Now a first-team star and a five-cap Portugal international, Inacio has shown real potential for Sporting.
Reporter Ben Jacobs has claimed on social media that Tottenham have internally discussed making a move for Inacio.
Spurs want another centre back in January but there are fears that Inacio will be just too expensive.
A Bola now claim that Arsenal are best positioned to sign Inacio, which will raise questions about the future of the aforementioned Kiwior.
It’s stated that Inacio can only leave if somebody pays the €60million (£52million) release clause in his contract.
We can’t really see Arsenal splashing that kind of money on another centre back in January, especially just a year since Kiwior arrived.
We also have to question just how much Tottenham need Inacio right now.
Van de Ven will be back very soon and Davies has shown that he can be a decent deputy when called upon.
Tottenham may actually need to focus on a right-footer amid news of an injury to Cristian Romero and splashing huge money on another left-footer – just months after signing Van de Ven – wouldn’t make sense.
Maybe Inacio ends up in England at some point, but we would be surprised to see it happen in the January transfer window.
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