Jakub Kiwior has revealed he pushed through a move away from Arsenal this summer by holding crunch talks with Mikel Arteta.
The defender joined Porto on loan during the most recent transfer window, although the move is set to be made permanent at the end of the season.
Kiwior has explained how he was the driver behind the transfer - because he was worried about a lack of minutes at Arsenal.
The Poland international featured regularly for the Gunners at the end of last season, but that was only in the absence of the injured Gabriel.
“I laughed at that information because it was the exact opposite,” Kiwior told Polish broadcaster TVP Sport, when asked about the Gunners looking to sell him this summer.
“Arsenal didn’t want to let me leave London and didn’t agree to a transfer for a long time. I was valued for the player and footballer I was. Nobody wanted to get rid of me.
“The club didn’t want to let me go and it took a long time for them to agree to the transfer. I was valued there; no one wanted to get rid of me.
“Arteta didn’t want me to leave for Portugal either, so I never felt unwanted. The decision to leave was entirely mine. I wanted to play, but with Gabriel and Saliba ahead of me, the chances were small.
“I convinced him (Arteta) myself. I went to talk to him and explained how I saw everything. He understood my ambitions and my desire to play, and he thanked me for how I behaved as both a person and a player.
“He accepted my reasoning, spoke with the sporting director, and things moved quickly after that.”
Kiwior has revealed how he was attracting interest from a number of clubs, but Porto was his preferred destination.
“At one point, they were calling every day,” he said. “They fought hard and never gave up, even after several rejections from Arsenal.
“They showed how much they cared, so I decided to bet on them.“I had many offers, but when I saw Jan Bednarek had joined, I told myself: if it works out, it will be great, and it really is.
“It wasn’t hard to say goodbye to London, especially thinking of the sporting opportunities. And yes, the weather helped too, it rains far less here!
“I wanted a better climate for my wife and our two dogs. We can spend more time outdoors by the ocean. The water’s cold for now, but one day I’ll go for a swim.”
