Porto have exercised the purchase option in Jakub Kiwior's loan agreement, completing a permanent transfer for a fixed fee of €17 million with up to €5 million in performance-related add-ons. The 26-year-old has signed a contract with the Portuguese champions until 2030. Arsenal retain a €2 million sell-on clause, meaning we will receive a flat €2 million from any future transfer involving the defender. Porto also paid a €2 million loan fee last summer, giving the deal a maximum value to us of approximately €26 million.

Arsenal confirmed the departure in characteristically understated fashion, burying the news inside a loan watch update on the official website rather than issuing a standalone announcement. Porto, by contrast, had already gone public with the deal the previous week.

We signed Kiwior from Spezia in January 2023 for a fee reported at €20 million. He made 68 appearances across two and a half seasons, won the Community Shield, and played a significant role during the 2024/25 Champions League campaign when Gabriel Magalhaes was injured. His performances in both legs of the quarter-final against Real Madrid, where he was asked to contain Kylian Mbappe, were among the most impressive of his time at the club.

The return of approximately €24 million (€17 million fixed fee, €2 million loan fee, up to €5 million in add-ons) against the €20 million outlay represents sound business for a player who was never going to be a long-term starter. The €2 million sell-on clause is modest, though Porto have also inserted a €70 million release clause into his new contract.

Mikel Arteta reportedly wanted to keep Kiwior in the squad, but the defender made clear his desire for regular first-team football. With Gabriel, William Saliba, and Christian Mosquera ahead of him at centre-back, and Riccardo Calafiori established at left-back, there was no pathway to consistent minutes. The arrival of Piero Hincapie on loan from Bayer Leverkusen in September, a deal expected to become permanent this summer, removed the final argument for staying.

Kiwior has played 38 times for Porto this season and was part of the squad that won the Liga Portugal title, their first since 2021/22. He found what he needed: a club that wanted him to start every week, a league title, and a long-term contract.

Kiwior's departure is our first completed outgoing transfer of the summer window. It leaves our centre-back options as Gabriel, Saliba, and Mosquera, with Hincapie's permanent signing expected to follow. The depth at the back is adequate for next season, provided there are no further departures in that position.

Kiwior served the squad well when called upon and leaves with a league title at his new club. The deal is done cleanly and at a figure that recoups our investment. There is nothing to criticise here.