Arsenal are closing in on a deal to sign young Poland centre-back Jakub Kiwior from Spezia - with the deal expected to go through on Monday afternoon.
The Gunners signed Leandro Trossard on Friday after a £21 million deal with struck with Brighton and the Belgium winger made his debut in the enthralling 3-2 win over Manchester United on Sunday evening. Now, the Gunners are poised to complete a second January move by sealing a deal for Kiwior.
Football.london understands Arsenal have agreed an initial fee of £17.5million - potentially rising to £21m - with Italian side Spezia to sign Kiwior with Mikel Arteta having been keen to add a left footed centre-back to his squad as well as defensive midfield cover.
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Having recently developed a reputation as one of Serie A's most promising defenders, Kiwior has recently been the subject of interest from the likes of AC Milan and Juventus, Nevertheless, it appears Arsenal and the red half of north London will be his destination.
Arteta is currently able to name Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Ben White and Rob Holding as his options in the centre of defence, as the Spaniard looks to guide the club to an unexpected Premier League title for the first time in 19 years. football.london takes a look at all the latest transfer updates surrounding the 22-year-old Kiwior and his imminent move to the Emirates.
Kiwior spotted at the Emirates
Kiwior was in stands at the Emirates as Arsenal beat United on Sunday. Despite being sat alongside Edu in the executive seats, Arteta was still hesitant to go into any detail about the 22-year-old's arrival after the match.
"We can talk about that when it’s finalised," he said in his post-match press conference.
Contract length revealed
Polish journalist Tomasz Wlodarczyk was first to break the news of Kiwior's possible arrival in north London, claiming a deal is "almost done."
Other reports have since added that Kiwior is destined to sign a four-and-a-half-year deal at the club, meaning he will be contracted to Arsenal until 2027 - although they will have the option to extend his deal for a year. Wlodarczyk claims the Gunners will be spending a total fee of around £21m on the defender.
Medical details emerge as personal terms are agreed
Reputable Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that Kiwior passed his medical on Saturday ahead of the move.He also states that personal terms have been agreed and a contract will be signed later on Monday.
The versatility factor
Arsenal's determination to sign Kiwior could be further enhanced by Pole's capability to perform across a variety of positions. After playing much of his career in midfield, the former Anderlecht man has been playing in a deeper role, on the left of a back three in defence this season.
His large frame and long legs hand him a significant advantage in defensive duels, but when facing a forward in a 1vs1 situation, he has previously struggled against agile attackers with a low centre of gravity.
Endorsed by the biggest names
Kiwior's pedigree is remarkably impressive for a little-known 22-year-old on British shores. Arsenal will only be encouraged by endorsements from some of football's biggest names. Poland teammate Robert Lewandowski has previously claimed: “The guy [Kiwior] has great potential.”
“During the warm-up of the game with The Netherlands, I thought: ‘Who is this guy?’ Then, during the match, I realised that he is extraordinary."
Meanwhile, Kiwior played under former Barcelona and PSG midfielder Thiago Motta at Spezia, with the current Bologna boss full of praise for his abilities. “He didn’t play much at the beginning, but he has trained well, we needed a player who would give us more balance and we found it in Jakub,” said Motta.
“We also tried him in midfield, he is a smart player and works very hard. It’s a difficult role, but he manages to do it. He gives us balance and it’s what we were looking for.”
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