Arsenal have officially confirmed that defender Jakub Kiwior has joined Portuguese giants FC Porto on a season-long loan, which includes an obligation to buy for approximately £24 million (€27 million). The move, finalised on transfer deadline day, marks a significant part of Arsenal’s ongoing squad reshaping as Mikel Arteta prepares for the 2025/26 season.
In a statement, the club announced: “Jakub Kiwior has joined FC Porto on a season-long loan, with an obligation to buy. We thank Jakub for his contributions and wish him all the best in Portugal.”
The 25-year-old Polish international, who signed from Spezia in January 2023 for £20 million, made 38 appearances for Arsenal across all competitions. While he showed promise, particularly during a run of starts alongside William Saliba last season, Kiwior slipped down the pecking order following the arrival of Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie, whose signing was also confirmed earlier on deadline day.
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Kiwior’s move gives him the opportunity to play regular first-team football at a club competing in both the Primeira Liga and the UEFA Champions League. The obligation-to-buy clause ensures Porto will secure the versatile defender on a permanent basis at the end of the 2025/26 campaign. For Arsenal, the deal provides both financial security and squad flexibility.
Jakub Kiwior
Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior (Image credit: Getty Images)
His departure was one of several outgoing transfers completed by the Gunners on a busy deadline day. Belgian midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga sealed a permanent move to Bundesliga newcomers Hamburger SV in a deal worth around €10 million, with Arsenal inserting a significant sell-on clause.
Lokonga, who joined from Anderlecht in 2021, made 51 appearances but never fully established himself and instead spent much of his Arsenal career on loan at Crystal Palace, Luton Town, and Sevilla.
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Fabio Vieira also joined Hamburger SV, departing on a season-long loan with an option to buy worth more than €20 million. Signed from Porto in 2022 for €35 million, Vieira was unable to secure a consistent role under Arteta and spent last season back on loan at his boyhood club. His move to Hamburg, under head coach Merlin Polzin, offers him a fresh chance to rediscover form in the Bundesliga.
Albert Sambi Lokonga (Image credit: Hamburg)
Meanwhile, 19-year-old goalkeeper Lucas Martin Nygaard returned to his native Denmark, joining Brabrand IF in the Danish 2nd Division on loan to gain valuable first-team experience. Highly rated within Arsenal’s academy, Nygaard is expected to challenge for a starting role in Aarhus.
Academy graduate Reiss Nelson also left on loan, joining Brentford for the 2025/26 campaign. Despite interest from Fulham and Villarreal, the winger opted for a move across London. With two years left on his contract, Nelson remains an Arsenal player for now, as the loan deal does not include an option to buy.
Amid these departures, Arsenal confirmed that Oleksandr Zinchenko would remain at the Emirates. A potential transfer to Marseille fell through due to the Ukrainian’s £150,000-per-week wages, leaving him to compete for a place despite strong competition from Riccardo Calafiori and academy product Myles Lewis-Skelly.
The flurry of deadline-day activity reflects Arsenal’s broader strategy of managing their squad within UEFA’s squad cost ratio regulations while strengthening with high-profile signings.
The arrivals of Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, and Piero Hincapie have bolstered Arteta’s options, while the exits of Kiwior, Lokonga, Vieira, Nygaard, and Nelson have created space and financial room for the club’s ambitions in both the Premier League and Champions League.
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