Image credit: Getty Images
FC Porto are preparing a new offer for Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior, with the proposal expected to exceed €20 million as the Portuguese side push to strengthen their back line before the transfer deadline.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Porto are working on a loan deal with an obligation to buy after Arsenal rejected their earlier July approach, which was worth €27m (€7m loan fee plus €20m obligation). Arsenal are said to value the Polish international closer to €35m.
“FC Porto keep talks active for Jakub Kiwior with new bid set to be sent this week,” Romano wrote on X. “Loan with obligation to buy package set to be discussed after Arsenal rejected a bid in July. Could be key for Arsenal to bring in a new centre-back.”
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Kiwior, 25, joined Arsenal from Spezia for £20m in January 2023 but has struggled for regular minutes, making just 21 Premier League starts across two seasons. The versatile defender, capable of playing centre-back, left-back, or in defensive midfield has slipped further down Mikel Arteta’s pecking order following the arrival of Valencia’s Cristhian Mosquera and the rise of Riccardo Calafiori.
🚨🐉 More on FC Porto and Jakub Kiwior: new proposal to Arsenal this week, expected to be over €20m.
Loan with obligation to buy package set to be discussed after #AFC rejected a bid from Porto for Kiwior back in July.
Could be key for Arsenal to bring in new centre back. pic.twitter.com/XGyLj5HlDn
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 25, 2025
He was an unused substitute in Saturday’s 5-0 win over Leeds and was left out of the squad entirely against Manchester United on opening day, intensifying speculation about his future.
Porto remain determined to land the player, with Portuguese outlet O Jogo reporting that talks are expected to accelerate this week. Manager Francesco Farioli is keen to pair Kiwior with compatriot Jan Bednarek, signed earlier this summer from Southampton.
The deal is expected to take the form of a loan with a mandatory purchase clause, helping Porto manage immediate finances while guaranteeing Arsenal a future fee. However, salary contributions remain a sticking point, with Porto pushing for Arsenal to cover part of Kiwior’s wages during the loan period.
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Kiwior’s potential exit could open the door for Arsenal to bring in reinforcements, with the club stepping up their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie. The 23-year-old Ecuadorian, who has expressed a desire to leave Leverkusen, is reported to favour a move to Arsenal over Tottenham Hotspur.
Piero Hincapie
Piero Hincapie (Image credit: Getty Images)
Arsenal’s move for Hincapie, however, depends on departures, with Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko among those who could leave before the deadline.
Arsenal have already had a busy summer, bringing in seven signings including Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace for £67.5m, pushing spending beyond £260m. At the same time, the Gunners have offloaded 26 players, including midfielders Thomas Partey and Jorginho, as part of a major squad overhaul.
Kiwior, under contract until 2028, has also attracted interest from AC Milan and Crystal Palace, though Porto remain frontrunners. Reports from A Bola suggest a deal could be finalised soon, though Arsenal are still holding firm on their valuation and preference for a permanent transfer structure.
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