AC Milan on the lookout for a centre-back as Malick Thiaw nears a €40m move to Newcastle United, with Jakub Kiwior among the options on their shortlist.
David Ornstein reported for The Athletic this weekend that Newcastle United are closing in on the signing of Malick Thiaw from AC Milan. Though the deal hasn’t been confirmed at the time of writing, a €35m plus €5m deal is in the process of being finalised.
Thiaw has been a key component of Milan’s defence in recent seasons, making 31 appearances in 2024/25 and 30 in 2023/24 despite injury absences in both campaigns.
If he leaves, Italian outlet Gazzetta.it report that Milan will want to replace him, and Jakub Kiwior is among their options.
Gazzetta write that negotiations for Kiwior are complicated, with Arsenal asking for €35m and turning down a €27m offer from Porto. But it’s not as though Milan don’t have the money, considering their move for Kiwior would be as a direct result of a €35m+ sale.
Kiwior has played a regular role in pre-season for Arsenal, but it’s worth noting that he didn’t feature in the Gunners’ final friendly against Athletic Club on Saturday.
Gabriel Magalhaes started the match, and when he eventually had to come off he was replaced by Cristhian Mosquera.
If Kiwior was in line to start Arsenal’s opening Premier League game against Manchester United, you would’ve thought he would’ve played some of the Athletic Club clash. Pretty much every other player you’d expect to line up against United was involved for at least some of Sunday’s game.
Yet as well as Gazzetta, Polish journalist Tomasz Wlodarczyk of Meczyki.pl also reported this week that Arsenal would only consider offers for Kiwior above €35m (£30.3m). Porto bid a €7m loan fee plus a €20m purchase obligation, but the Gunners turned it down.
Unless another club comes closer to that valuation, it doesn’t seem like Kiwior is going anywhere.