Arsenal are reportedly keeping a close watch on Monza striker Gustavo Varela after the 21-year-old’s remarkable start to life in Serie A.

The Portuguese forward has wasted little time attracting attention following his summer move from Benfica.

With his combination of physical power, movement and finishing ability, Varela is quickly developing into one of Italy’s biggest breakout stories and Arsenal are now among the major clubs tracking his progress.

Gazzetta reports Arsenal interest in Varela

According to Gazzetta dello Sport’s report on Varela, Arsenal have identified the Monza striker as a player worth monitoring, while Napoli and former club Benfica are also interested.

His numbers explain the growing attention. Varela has scored six goals in six Serie A appearances, while his two Coppa Italia goals take his overall record to eight goals in seven matches.

He also produced two goals and an assist during Monza’s recent 4-0 victory over Cagliari.

Monza signed him from Benfica for only €2million, but his value has already increased dramatically.

He is contracted until 2030, and importantly, Benfica do not possess a buy-back clause. They instead retain the right to match a future offer and are entitled to 20 per cent of any future profit.

Monza coach Ivan Juric has also highlighted Varela’s potential, saying: “He is scoring goals and has enormous room for improvement in many areas.”

Moving early could save millions later

Varela looks exactly like the type of emerging striker Arsenal should be tracking before his price becomes enormous.

Eight goals in seven games is an exceptional return, but the sample size is still small.

Arsenal therefore do not need to rush into a huge January offer simply because he is currently in outstanding form.

What makes him especially interesting is his versatility as a No.9. He can score headers, finish inside the penalty area, create shots for himself and contribute to combination play rather than simply waiting for chances.

Football Italia also reports that Varela is already Serie A’s joint-second-highest scorer, strengthening the argument that his breakthrough is becoming difficult for Europe’s bigger clubs to ignore.

For Arsenal, the smartest approach could be to monitor him closely through the season and move before his development turns a relatively affordable gamble into another £70million-plus transfer.