A report in Portugal says the €17m clause will be activated, although that may not be the end of the defender’s story this summer.
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal and Jakub Kiwior of Arsenal speak during the Carabao Cup Quarter Final match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium on December 18, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Jakub Kiwior’s €17m move from Arsenal to FC Porto is expected to be completed before 31 May, with O Jogo reporting that the buyout clause is little more than a formality.
Both clubs can activate the clause, but the report says there is no doubt on Porto’s side that the deal will be done.
That would turn Kiwior’s loan move into a permanent transfer, even if it does not necessarily settle his longer-term future beyond the summer with rumours he could be re-sold to turn a quick profit.
West Ham United's Ghanaian midfielder #14 Mohammed Kudus (L) vies with Arsenal's Polish defender #15 Jakub Kiwior (R) during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Arsenal at the London Stadium, in London on February 11, 2024. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
The report also addresses whether that could fall foul of rules around so-called bridge transfers. FIFA defines those as consecutive linked transfers within 16 weeks involving an intermediary club for the purpose of getting around regulations, laws, or defrauding another party.
According to O Jogo, that would not apply in Kiwior’s case.
For Arsenal, the key point is straightforward. The €17m clause is expected to be triggered before the end of May, turning Kiwior’s exit into a permanent one, leaving Porto to retain the option of considering offers later in the summer.
Kiwior is currently valued at €27m. Arsenal signed him in 2023 from Spezia Calcio, paying €19.5m.
Porto have already paid €2m to take him on loan this season, where he has made 31 appearances and cemented himself as a first-team starter.