Arsenal transfer concern after £21.1m bargain shows Mikel Arteta what he's missing

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Arsenal have been busy in the transfer market in recent seasons and have sold players who have flourished at their new clubs

Arsenal had an extremely successful transfer window in 2025 as new sporting director Andrea Berta secured eight new players for the club in a record spend. The club committed more than £250million, which is expected to rise higher once Piero Hincapie’s £45million option to buy is activated next summer.

The Ecuador international arrived on deadline day after a deal was struck to see Jakub Kiwior join FC Porto on loan. The Polish international too has an option to buy in his contract which, similarly to Hincapie, is expected by all parties to be activated.

Porto paid a €2million (£1.76million) loan fee, agreed to a €17million (£14.95million) option with a €5million (£4.4million) performance add-on included bringing the total to €24million (£21.1million. There is also a sell-on clause of around €2million (£1.76million) for any future sale.

Kiwior has excelled this season for Porto, claiming many plaudits from fans and his coach. After a recent win over Moreirense, manager Francesco Farioli spoke of the player’s versatility to also cover at left-back.

“He can perfectly cover that position,” Farioli said. “What we expect from the defenders is quality and physicality.”

Kiwior is much more involved in the Porto build-up than he was at Arsenal, taking his passes attempted per 90 from last season, 53.8, even higher to 81.2. Progressively, he has excelled too with passes into the final third per 90 going up: 5.2 > 7.3.

He is more successful defensively in certain areas. Tackles per 90 have gone up (1.76 > 2.2) as have blocks per 90 (1.04 > 1.1) and interceptions per 90 (0.48 > 1.6).

He’s carrying the ball more in possession with progressive distance per 90 improving (83yards > 237.3yards) and carries into the final third per 90 (0.56 > 1.1). While it might be easier to do such things in the Portuguese League compared to the Premier League, granted, the defensive improvement in a division where the attacking quality is lower and the team Kiwior plays for is frequently dominant shows this is clearly an individual show of growth.

Kiwior didn’t hold any ill feelings toward Arsenal; he simply wanted to play, and Mikel Arteta could not guarantee that. The irony is that in the wake of Gabriel Magalhaes’ significant injury, the Pole would have played plenty, and even though Hincapie has done well, perhaps with both, they would be dealing with the current crisis much better.

That said, there is no way of knowing if this would have been financially viable. Additionally, had Kiwior seen the Ecuador defender join, it would have hardly seen him in the best mindset with even more competition to face.