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First reported by Tomasz Włodarczyk and then additionally reported by Fabrizio Romano and Gianluca Di Marzio, Arsenal have had a bid of €25 million plus bonuses accepted by Spezia for Jakub Kiwior.
The 22 year-old has long been tipped to move away from Spezia in this transfer window, with the most concrete interest thought to be from within Italy, namely AC Milan and Juventus. The latest reports in Italy from earlier this week suggested that Borussia Dortmund were also chasing Kiwi’s signature, before the news was announced this morning that Arsenal had jumped in front of all of them to get a deal done. Kiwior will reportedly have his medical this weekend, and if there are no complications with the transfer it should be announced on Monday.
The young defender has seen a near-stratospheric rise in his valuation since becoming a key defender for Spezia this time last year. It can now be said that Kiwior is Poland’s first choice defender, and whilst his countrymen competing for his position have suffered a downturn in fortunes at the same time as his upturn, and this transfer is indicative of Kiwior’s growing stature as one of Europe’s most promising centre-backs. Spezia were keen to hold out for the biggest possible fee, and it would appear that Arsenal were willing to pay quickest.
Capable with the ball at his feet and strongest on his left foot, it’s likely that this move will see Kiwior as a back-up to Gabriel at the Emirates, and whilst this is a great deal for Arsenal and for Spezia, it’s difficult to see what this means for Poland in the years ahead. Kiwior is definitively Poland’s most promising defender, and as I wrote a paragraph or two ago has already become first choice at centre-back for his national team. Regular football is not the be-all and end-all, but it certainly helps for a national team to have it’s most important players playing regularly for their clubs.
Kiwior has, it seems, now got the big move he has seemed destined to make all season; now it is up to him to impress Mikel Arteta when he is chosen, either from the start or off the bench, to try and help the Gunners as they chase a Premier League and Europa League double.
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