Arsenal prepare to trigger £51m release clause to sign Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio ahead of Liverpool

Arsenal are making a move for Sporting CP centre-back Goncalo Inacio (Getty)

Arsenal are preparing a move to sign Sporting CP centre-back Goncalo Inacio, according to reports in Portugal.

The 22-year-old has established himself as a key player at the heart of Sporting’s defence since making his first-team breakthrough in 2020.

Inacio has been extensively scouted by Liverpool in recent months, while the Portugal international is also on Manchester United’s centre-back shortlist.

But according to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, Arsenal are ‘tightening their siege’ on signing Inacio ahead of their Premier League rivals.

The report claims that Arsenal are already aware of the €60 million (£51.5m) release clause in his deal with Sporting but the Gunners are prepared to pay the fee for the left-sided centre-back in the January transfer window.

Goncalo Inacio has also attracted strong interest from Liverpool and Manchester United (Getty)

Sporting are already lining up a replacement for Inacio and are targeting Famalicao centre-back Otavio, who moved to Portugal from Brazilian side Flamengo last year.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have been targeting a new left-sided central defender as a partner for William Saliba and competition for Gabriel Magalhaes.

In an interview with Spanish newspaper AS last month, Olympiacos manager Carlos Carvalhal, who was a centre-back in his playing career, described Inacio as a ‘complete defender’.

‘He’s a central defender who can also play in midfield and does it very well,’ Carvalhal said.

‘His strong point is his technical ability. He’s very good at playing long, short passes, inside and outside. He is left-footed. He is an intelligent player who, in addition, is very good with his head in both defence and attack.

‘He has already scored several goals. He plays for the Portuguese national team and that is already a guarantee.

‘He is a high-quality central defender, very complete. He does well defending and attacking, anticipates well, reads the game well and has the ability to make good decisions on the pitch.

‘There aren’t many players like him. Left-footed and with such high technical ability, I can’t think of anyone who is similar.’

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Liverpool were favourites to complete the deal in the January transfer window.