Arsenal have made an encouraging start to the new Premier League campaign and currently sit second in the table after their opening five matches.
The Gunners have picked up four victories so far, with their only setback coming against Brighton.
That 3-0 defeat provided a reminder that, in the absence of William Saliba, Arsenal’s defence may not be quite as impenetrable as it appeared for much of last season.
With the January transfer window approaching, Mikel Arteta’s side are now reportedly keeping tabs on a young full-back who enjoyed an impressive breakthrough campaign in Portugal.
Arsenal Monitoring Alberto Costa
According to reports, Arsenal are among the clubs watching Porto right-back Alberto Costa after his standout 2025-26 campaign.
Costa only joined Porto from Juventus in July 2025, but he wasted little time establishing himself in Portugal. The defender made 47 appearances during his first campaign with the club and quickly became an important part of their squad.
The 22-year-old produced nine assists and one goal last season, playing a key role as Porto secured the Primeira Liga title. His performances also earned him a place in the league’s Team of the Season.
His form has now attracted attention from several major European clubs, with CaughtOffside reporting that both Arsenal and Manchester United are monitoring his development.
Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are also believed to be keeping track of the right-back, although none of the interested sides have made a formal approach at this stage.
Instead, the clubs are understood to be continuing their scouting and assessment of Costa before deciding whether to make a move.
Any potential deal would also come at a significant cost. Porto paid Juventus €15m plus a possible €1m in bonuses to sign the defender last summer and subsequently secured his future until June 2030.
Costa’s contract also contains a €65m release clause, meaning Porto are in a strong negotiating position if Arsenal or one of his other admirers decide to step up their interest.
Juventus are additionally entitled to 10% of any profit Porto make from a future sale.
For Arsenal, Costa’s combination of attacking output and defensive potential could make him an intriguing option as Arteta continues to assess his squad. Whether their current monitoring eventually develops into a concrete January approach remains to be seen.
