As reported in an exclusive by The Daily Star, Arsene Wenger in weighing up a big money move for Porto defender Ricardo Pereira in the January transfer window, who is currently on loan at Nice in France.

What’s the word?

With Mathieu Debuchy falling out of favour and Carl Jenkinson struggling to get first team action, Arsene Wenger is on the look out for a new right-back to compete with Hector Bellerin.

The Star reports that Portuguese full-back Ricardo Pereira is the man on Wenger’s wish-list and the Gunners manager could make a £20m move for him this January.

Worth the cash?

Pereira is in exceptional form for Ligue 1 leaders Nice this season, helping them to a two point lead over Monaco at the top of the table.

The right-back boasts excellent pace, tackling and dribbling skills so in an attacking and defensive sense would be a perfect fit on Arsenal’s right hand side.

At just 23, he has plenty of time to develop further and along side elite teammates at the Emirates could bring his game to the next level.

He has caps for Portugal too, playing in friendlies against Russia and Luxumbourg in 2015. International call-ups can’t be far away again after the season he has had so far in France and move to Arsenal would only boost his chances of featuring in future squads.

With Hector Bellerin in some fine form of his own at the Gunners this season, Pereira would face a battle for first team football but real competition in the area can only be a benefit for Wenger’s team as a whole.

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