Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior has revealed that he was left surprised when Fabrizio Romano announced his move to Porto, as he was gearing up for training with the Gunners.
[O Jogo cover comments](https://www.ojogo.pt/7033632215/kiwior-e-a-mudanca-para-o-fc-porto-o-romano-lancou-o-here-we-go-estava-a-comecar-o-treino/) from the Polish defender today after he secured a loan deal to the Portuguese side on deadline day this week.
He had been linked with a move away from Arsenal for much of the window after falling down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta last season.
A move to Porto was suggested for much of the summer but only secured at the end of the window, with Arsenal making it clear that they wanted a replacement through the door before sanctioning it.
That was eventually secured as they agreed a loan deal for Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie, freeing up Kiwior to make his move to Portugal.
There had been expectation the move would be finalised before then, particularly when famous transfer market man Fabrizio Romano gave the deal his ‘here we go’.
That was a surprise to Kiwior, who saw the news himself as he geared up to join in training with Arsenal.
_“It was difficult to say goodbye to Arsenal because I didn’t know when it would actually happen,”_ he said.
“If I had known the exact day in advance, I would have had time to prepare. In the last three days there, I didn’t know which would truly be my last.
_“Fabrizio Romano announced ‘here we go’, and I started receiving dozens of messages and calls congratulating me. I was starting training… The players saw it on their phones and asked me why I had put on my kit if it was already closed._
_“I refused to say goodbye there because I still didn’t have information about what might or might not happen. The next day I returned, already knowing I could say goodbye._
_“I went to the pitch to say goodbye to my teammates and the coach. They set up a farewell tunnel, and it was tough… I didn’t have everyone I wanted to say goodbye to, and I still had to make some phone calls.”_