Arsenal
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Arsenal opened their Premier League campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, though questions linger over their attacking sharpness and the future of Jakub Kiwior.
Riccardo Calafiori’s 13th-minute header proved decisive after United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir misjudged Declan Rice’s corner, allowing the Italian defender to nod home at the far post. Despite taking the lead, Mikel Arteta’s side struggled to create clear-cut chances, with the home team enjoying long spells of pressure.
New striker Viktor Gyokeres endured a subdued debut. The Sweden international was kept quiet by Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro, failing to register a shot before being replaced by Kai Havertz midway through the second half.
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While Arsenal celebrated three valuable points, speculation over Jakub Kiwior’s future intensified. The Polish defender was left out of the matchday squad, with reports suggesting he is in advanced talks to join Portuguese giants Porto before the transfer window closes.
Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior
Jakub Kiwior (Image credit: Getty Images)
Kiwior, signed from Spezia for £20m in January 2023, has largely been a backup option behind William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. With Jurrien Timber, Ben White, and new arrival Calafiori also able to operate in central defence, the 24-year-old has slipped further down the pecking order.
Porto had initially cooled their interest after learning of Arsenal’s £26m valuation, instead signing Jan Bednarek from Southampton for £6.5m. However, Polish outlet Meczyki report that talks with Kiwior have reopened, with hopes of reaching an agreement next week. The defender is believed to prefer a move abroad should Arsenal agree to sell.
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Arteta previously praised Kiwior’s professionalism during Arsenal’s title push last season, saying: “He deserves a lot of credit because he hasn’t played too much throughout many months, and suddenly he’s been thrown into the most difficult context, at the highest level, playing against the best opponents… I think he’s been exceptional.”
Alongside Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Reiss Nelson, and Fabio Vieira were also omitted from the squad amid ongoing uncertainty over their futures.
For now, Arsenal will be relieved to have ground out an opening-day win, but with further squad reshuffling likely before the window shuts, Arteta’s squad could look different in the coming weeks.
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