Grading Arsenal’s January transfer targets: Inacio, Toney & more

Arsenal have had another fantastic Premier League campaign and they are currently top at Christmas after a hard-fought draw against Liverpool on the road.

Despite this, manager Mikel Arteta will want to bolster his squad at the turn of the year and the club have already been linked with a number of high-profile names.

The club may not manage more than one or two signings with Financial Fair Play in mind, but they need to invest to give themselves the best chance of winning the league.

The Gunners are also in the last 16 of the Champions League and fans will be anticipating the club to make further progress in the competition and spring up a surprise.

Ahead of the January transfer window, here are four transfer targets for the Gunners. We have graded them, based on the likeliness of joining the club.

Ivan Toney – Brentford

The 27-year-old striker has been linked with the Gunners for some time. The Englishman netted 20 goals in the English top-flight last term before his eight-month ban for breaching FA betting rules.

He will complete his suspension on January 17 and it has been reported that he prefers a move to Arsenal over London rivals Chelsea with the chance to win the league with Mikel Arteta’s side.

Toney could cost an initial £60 million with £20m in add-ons. In our opinion, he appears the most likely candidate to make the switch during the upcoming winter transfer window.

The ex-Newcastle United man could transform the club into potential favourites to win the Premier League with his excellent shot conversion rate of 20 per cent last season.

Goncalo Inacio – Sporting Lisbon

Inacio was heavily associated with a move to the Premier League last summer. He eventually ended up penning a new contract with Sporting to increase his release clause to £52m.

The Portuguese has played in a back three for Sporting over the years. He has operated from the right, centre and left side of the backline. Hence, he could easily adapt to both central defensive roles.

The 22-year-old could also be utilised as a left-back if manager Mikel Arteta wants more defensive assurance. Sporting are currently holding out for his clause but Arsenal could make a different proposal.

As per Jornal de Noticias (Ataque supplement), they could propose a loan with a mandatory buy clause for £52m. Tottenham Hotspur did something similar to land Pedro Porro from the Lisbon giants last winter.

Amadou Onana – Everton

Onana was on the radar of the Gunners during the last January transfer window, but Everton were quite clear that he was not for sale amid their relegation battle in the Premier League.

The Belgian was also content to stay put with the club’s dire situation. Almost 12 months later, he has been identified as a top target for the Gunners to reinforce their midfield department.

The former Lille man would be an ideal deputy for Declan Rice and the duo could also play together. His tackling skills, duel-winning ability and ball recoveries would suit the Gunners.

He is also strong with the ball at his feet and does not shy away from a physical battle. It has been claimed that he could be signed for £43m but it will be difficult to convince Everton.

With their 10-point deduction, the club find themselves back in another relegation tussle. They are only four points ahead of safety. They would be 10th in the table without the docked points.

Ousmane Diomande – Sporting Lisbon

Arsenal looked at signing the centre-back when he was playing for Midtjylland last January, but Sporting won the race to land the 20-year-old for an initial fee of £7m.

The Gunners made another attempt last summer for £30m, but Sporting made it clear that they would not consider anything less than his £69m release clause.

The London giants have guaranteed to return for him in 2024, but the big question is whether they can afford his signature in January after the purchase of a striker which could be prioritised.

Diomande is one of the best young centre-backs in the world, but the club’s hierarchy could lean towards signing teammate Inacio instead as he is a more affordable option this winter.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com