Arsenal have been in the picture to sign Monza’s Gustavo Varela and have now taken initial steps towards a possible move.

The Portuguese has been one of the best strikers in the Serie A this season. His rise has come as a shock to many, as Monza paid only around €2m to land him from Benfica.

But Varela has now found the net seven times in the league, racking up a tally of nine in just eight games in all competitions.

Sport Witness have tracked how this has led to several clubs taking note of the player’s situation. Arsenal have been one of them and they are providing competition to Italian sides.

More has now emerged, with the player’s long-term future far from secure.

Gunners make in-roads

Calciomercato take a detailed look at Varela, stating that the forward is ‘astonishing everyone’ in Italy. They expect him to be a hot topic in January and believe several offers can land at Monza’s door already.

Benfica have the option to match any offers that come for him and also have the first refusal. They also have a 20% sell-on clause, leading to Varela’s valuation currently being at €15m.

But this can change soon, as Inter have sent scouts to watch Varela closely many times. Napoli are also keen as they look to replace Lorenzo Lucca in January.

It is Arsenal, however, who ‘have made enquiries’ about a deal already and could be a leading candidate to sign him.

But this will allow Monza to push their valuation up, especially as the player has previously thrived away from Italy too.

Our take: Too early to call

Varela has impressed but Monza would ideally want to earn a big capital gain from his sale. They aren’t the most financially blessed club in Italy and would love the money that comes from his exit.

That is why Arsenal need to be wary of this situation and they should keep monitoring the player from afar. Monza are likely to create an auction for him.

If things keep improving for Varela, the 21-year-old can be a back-up in the centre forward area. He might not demand regular first-team football and that will help the Gunners.