Arsenal’s latest 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield signified that Mikel Arteta has turned his side into true title challengers.
The Gunners are second in the Premier League, but a win against West Ham United on Thursday evening will see them return to the top of the table.
Despite that, the Spanish boss is still keen to increase his defensive options in January in order to enhance the chance of silverware.
Arsenal transfers latest – Goncalo Inacio
According to news outlet A Bola, Arsenal are currently the favourites to acquire defender Goncalo Inacio.
However, Arteta will have to battle Jurgen Klopp for his signature, with Liverpool also interested in making defensive reinforcements.
The Portugal international has a £52m release clause, and Sporting will not let him leave for a penny less, despite the club understanding they could lose their star defender in January.
How Goncalo Inacio compares to Gabriel.
Gabriel’s time as Arteta’s first-choice left centre-back may be up if Arsenal are successful with their move for Inacio. If it were possible to design the perfect modern-day centre back, then the 22-year-old wouldn't be a million miles away, as he has developed into an incredibly complete defender.
The Brazilian defender has formed a formidable partnership alongside William Saliba since the start of last season, and he is a defender with heaps of quality, but the Sporting star would elevate Arsenal to an entirely new level, and the statistics from the last year across the top European league’s below show why.
Progressive passes
6.59
3.67
Passes into final third
9.16
4.00
Passes completed
72.44
55.40
Carries
67.76
44.75
Dribblers tackled
1.05
0.44
To begin with, the clear difference between the duo is the superior ball-playing ability of the Portuguese centre back, who has been labelled as a “sensation” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig. With the Gunners dominating possession and often facing a low block, having a defender that can progress the play or step into midfield to create overloads would almost ensure more control and success in the final third.
Inacio often creates attacks via his progressive passing across a variety of ranges. He can slice open the opposition’s midfield with one pass into the striker while also having the technical ability to play the ball in behind for runners. Although Arsenal’s number six is comfortable on the ball, he is slightly safe and doesn’t offer the same progression that Inacio would, as highlighted by the progressive passes stat.
From an out-of-possession perspective, Gabriel is excellent at winning duels and when the play is in front of him, but he could improve when facing dribblers. Yet, in fairness, with Oleksandr Zinchenko inverting and Gabriel Martinelli usually staying high, he can often be left slightly isolated in the left channel.
This is where Inacio would be an upgrade, as he is used to 1v1 scenarios versus tricky attackers due to frequently playing as a wide centre back at Sporting. He uses his athleticism, 6 foot 1 frame, and excellent anticipation to prevent attacks, which would make Arsenal even stronger in transitions.
If Arsenal sign the 22-year-old, they would have a centre-back pairing that would dominate the Premier League for years to come. There is no doubt that Gabriel is a top defender and even Gary Neville described him as "outstanding", but the move for Inacio indicates that he may be used as a rotation option in the future.