Jakub Kiwior’s position at Arsenal is becoming increasingly precarious as the club looks set to finalise a £42million deal for Riccardo Calafiori.
Calafiori, who excels as both a left back and a left centre back, would likely push Kiwior further down the pecking order in these positions. This new addition raises questions about Kiwior’s future at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal initially signed Kiwior for around £20million, viewing him as a valuable asset to strengthen their defensive lineup and a player of high potential. However, despite his promise, Kiwior has struggled to secure consistent playing time, whilst showing flashes of quality, some doubt if he has the consistency required to play at the very top.
The imminent arrival of Calafiori complicates his situation further, making a move away from Arsenal a viable option.
Interest in Kiwior is significant, particularly from Serie A clubs, which see his potential to enhance their defensive setups. However, the financial constraints faced by many Italian clubs pose a challenge to meeting Arsenal’s valuation of Kiwior.
But interest is said to be high, with the likes of Napoli, Inter, AC Milan and Juventus all interested in the Polish international.
Edu, Arsenal’s technical director, faces the task of navigating these financial complexities to secure a favourable deal for Kiwior. By harnessing the competition for his signature, Edu can drive up the bidding price, ensuring that Arsenal at least recoup the £20 million spent on Kiwior, though really they should be pushing for closer to £30 million considering his age and the interest.
Kiwior’s potential departure highlights Arsenal’s ongoing efforts to evolve their squad and compete at the highest levels. The potential addition of Calafiori reflects the club’s ambition to strengthen their defensive options with versatile and capable players. For Kiwior, moving away from Arsenal presents an opportunity to secure more playing time and continue his development in a less crowded environment.
Arsenal may prefer to keep Kiwior over someone like Oleksandr Zinchenko, but the reality is they do need to cash in on some players where interest is high, as appears to be the case with Kiwior.