Jakub Kiwior’s planned transfer to FC Porto is being held up as Arsenal try to secure his replacement, according to reports.
Jakub Kiwior could be Arsenal’s most significant outgoing this summer, with Luca Bendoni reporting on Tuesday that FC Porto are closing in on a loan with an obligation to buy with a total fee in the region of €26m (£22.4m).
Yet the deal won’t go ahead unless the Gunners have guarantees on a replacement for the Poland international.
Fabrizio Romano reports on YouTube that if Bayer Leverkusen accept Arsenal’s proposal to sign Piero Hincapie, Kiwior will join Porto. If not, Arsenal could opt not to sell Kiwior, which is why he still hasn’t travelled to Portugal just yet.
Romano adds that Kiwior could be allowed to leave if Arsenal make any centre-back signing in the current window, but Hincapie is the specific defender the Gunners are targeting. The Ecuadorian 23-year-old has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal, so everything hinges on Leverkusen.
In Portugal, A Bola report in their print edition on Thursday, August 28th that Porto are growing impatient, with Kiwior originally scheduled to be on a flight arriving at 11am this morning. That flight no longer appears to be going ahead.
Porto are aware they don’t have much time to find an alternative if they fail to sign Kiwior, and they’ve already reached a verbal agreement with the player and Arsenal. But until the Hincapie transfer gets the go-ahead, the Kiwior move is on hold.
Kiwior was on the bench for Arsenal against Leeds United on Saturday, having been absent from Mikel Arteta’s matchday squad away to Manchester United the previous weekend.
The 25-year-old didn’t come on against Leeds, with Arsenal likely not wanting to take risks with his fitness given his role in the current transfer dominoes.