Arsenal are considering a January move for Monza forward Gustavo Varela as manager Mikel Arteta seeks to strengthen his attack.

Arteta is reportedly keen to recruit a new striker after Arsenal missed out on Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez during the summer transfer window.

Alvarez remains a potential target, but Atletico Madrid are not interested in selling the Argentina international. That has led Arteta to examine alternative options elsewhere in Europe.

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato.com, Varela has emerged as one of the players on Arsenal’s radar after making an impressive start to his career in Italy.

The 21-year-old joined Monza from Benfica in the summer and has scored seven goals in eight league appearances. That record currently puts him at the top of the Serie A scoring charts.

Varela’s form has also attracted interest from Napoli, while Benfica are continuing to monitor his progress following his departure from the Lisbon club.

As part of the agreement for Varela’s move to Monza, Benfica retained the right to match any future transfer offer. The Portuguese club are also entitled to 20% of any future capital gain if the forward is sold to another team.

Varela is contracted to Monza until 2030, but his value has risen significantly since he completed his move for €2.5M in July.

His current valuation is understood to be at least €10M, reflecting his strong opening months in Serie A and the growing interest in his services.