Arsenal’s interest in Porto winger Oskar Pietuszewski appears to be far more than a reaction to his breakthrough in Portugal. The Gunners have continued tracking the teenager since before his move from Poland.
According to Correio da Manhã, Pietuszewski is on a restricted list of under-20 talents being closely monitored by Arsenal.
The Portuguese newspaper adds that the London club already had the winger under observation even before Porto signed him from Jagiellonia in January and have maintained that interest since. So the Polish claims we covered at the time proved to be true.
Interest predates Porto move
Arsenal’s latest link to Pietuszewski is not being presented as consequence of his recent rise.
Instead, Correio da Manhã suggest the club identified the player before his move to Porto and have continued following his progress throughout the past six months.
Porto ultimately won the race for his signature, paying €8m (£6.9m) up front, with a further €2m (£1.7m) available in bonuses. The investment has already looked like a smart one.
After arriving midway through the season, Pietuszewski quickly forced his way into Francesco Farioli’s plans. He finished the campaign with 15 appearances, three goals and two assists, becoming one of Porto’s most exciting young players.
His impact has gone beyond goals and assists. The winger has averaged 6.42 successful dribbles per match and around nine duels won per game, numbers which help explain why major European clubs continue to pay attention.
Recent reports have also linked Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle with the Poland youth international.
Porto have already acted
Oskar Pietuszewski
Oskar Pietuszewski
Porto are well aware of the growing interest around the winger and have already moved to strengthen their position.
The club recently extended Pietuszewski’s contract until 2031, securing the teenager for the long term after his impressive first months in Portugal.
Interestingly, while the new deal lengthened his stay, his release clause reportedly remained at €60m (£52m).
For now, however, neither Porto nor the player’s camp appear interested in entertaining a quick exit.
Pietuszewski’s agent, Mariusz Piekarski, recently described the idea of a summer transfer as “complete madness”, arguing that another season in Portugal and the opportunity to play Champions League football would be the ideal next step in the winger’s development.
That stance may suit Arsenal just fine. The latest claims suggest the Gunners are playing a long game with Pietuszewski, continuing to monitor a player they identified before Porto did and who remains firmly on their radar today.
🇮🇹 Manu Kone | From Italy: Arsenal reach personal agreement for arrival ➡️ Gunners now structuring big offerhttps://t.co/U8RnPsEoHI #afc
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) June 16, 2026