>
Arsenal are in talks over a £20m deal for Spezia’s Polish centre-back Jakub Kiwior, while Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his title defense.
- Arsenal are in talks with Spezia over a £20m deal for defender Jakub Kiwior
- The centre-back has played 20 times for Spezia in all competitions this season
- The 22-year-old has played as a defensive midfielder as well as a left back.
- Mikel Arteta’s team have conceded the second fewest number of goals this season (14)
- READ: Arsenal complete £27m deal to sign Brighton striker Leandro Trossard
Arsenal are in talks to sign Polish defender Jakub Kiwior in a deal that could cost around £20m.
The 22-year-old, currently at Serie A side Spezia, would add depth to the Premier League leaders, who have been eyeing another left-footed centre-back.
Gabriel Magalhaes has been a mainstay alongside William Saliba this season, but Kiwior, who started all of Poland’s matches in the World Cup in Qatar, would add coverage and competition for the Brazilian.
Arsenal are in talks to sign Polish defender Jakub Kiwior in a deal that could cost around £20m.
Kiwior has been linked with Juventus and Milan but Arsenal are hoping to complete another signing in January, having secured a £27m deal for Brighton striker Leandro Trossard this week.
Arsenal missed main target Mykhailo Mudryk, who ended up at Chelsea, as they look for reinforcements for their title fight.
The defender, who has made nine caps for Poland, also has experience playing at left back and defensive midfield.
Arsenal are well supplied with central defenders on the right, with Saliba, Rob Holding and Ben White at the disposal of Mikel Arteta.
But left-footed defenders have become a hot property in the modern game.
Kiwior joined Spezia in 2021 having spent time at Anderlecht during his youth.
Mikel Arteta’s side have a five-point lead in the Premier League title race but will want to strengthen their position
The club has shown in recent years with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Magalhaes and to some extent Granit Xhaka that they prefer to bring in players who are allowed to develop at the club.
At 22, Kiwior is younger than White and Magalhaes and only a year older than Saliba, but would bring international experience, as well as 18 months playing in one of Europe’s top five leagues, to the Emirates.
The Polish international stands at 1.89cm, so he would be a physical presence at the Arsenal back, putting him roughly on the same height as Saliba and Magalhaes, Arteta’s preferred pairing.
He has also excelled as a left-back and central defensive midfielder, which will appeal to Arteta, who regularly moves his defenders at the back into different starting positions.
The 22-year-old Polish international has made 20 appearances for Spezia so far this season.
Arsenal have already agreed a £27m fee with Brighton for striker Leandro Trossard
The Gunners still compete in the Europa League and FA Cup, where they faced Manchester City in the Fourth Round, as well as navigating their first title run in several years.
Therefore, Arteta will be keen to bring in as many bodies as possible that fit his team’s transfer ethos to lessen the workload on his stars and give them the best possible chance of taking home the trophy.
On Friday, Arsenal completed the signing of Trossard from Brighton in a deal that would eventually be worth £27 million.
Arteta has been keen to strengthen his attacking options as the Gunners seek a first Premier League title since 2004 and 28-year-old Belgium international Trossard fits the bill.
Brighton will receive a guaranteed figure of around £20m with the remaining £7m made up of achievable incentives.
Trossard could be in Arsenal’s squad to face Manchester United in a crucial clash at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Although he signed his contract before noon on Friday, there was no confirmation on his registration before the deadline that would allow him to compete against the Red Devils, although it seems likely.