First Arsenal summer transfer officially confirmed

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Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

Porto have announced that they have exercised their purchase option for Arsenal loanee Jakub Kiwior.

The Poland international left the Gunners last summer after struggling to nail down a regular starting spot. Despite impressing when on the pitch, Kiwior did not manage to establish himself as more than a utility man under Mikel Arteta.

This naturally led to some frustration. It was no surprise that he departed, and it is even less of a surprise that his exit has now become permanent. Kiwior has been brilliant for Porto, marshalling the club's defence alongside compatriot Jan Bednarek.

At the weekend, the runaway leaders of the Primeira Liga were crowned Portuguese champions for the 31st time. Jose Mourinho's still-unbeaten Benfica only mustered a draw with Famalicao, thus handing Porto the title. It was the club's 87th trophy, won with a handy nine-point cushion.

Following this achievement, which is coach Francesco Farioli's first trophy in senior management, Porto have announced that they have made Kiwior's loan from Arsenal permanent.

Kiwior handed hefty release clause

As Porto are a public limited sports company, they have released the exact details of the transaction, which make for interesting reading. Firstly, Arsenal have received a €17 million guaranteed fee.

In the future, the Gunners can earn an additional €5m in performance-related bonuses. A somewhat unusual sell-on clause is also part of the deal. Porto have acquired 100% of Kiwior's rights, yet Arsenal will nevertheless benefit from his next transfer.

That is because a fixed amount of €2m will be owed to them if Porto sell the 26-year-old in the future. It is rare - at least when it comes to clauses that are known to the public - that there is a set sell-on figure. Usually, it is a percentage of the final transfer fee or of the profit made on the deal.

Kiwior has signed a contract with Porto until 2030. As is customary in Iberia, the Pole has been given a sizeable release clause worth €70m. His current Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) stands at €25.4m, which is in line with the financial package Arsenal can receive for him.

The Gunners paid Italian side Spezia €19.5m for Kiwior back in January 2023, so they will make a profit on him if all the bonuses in his Porto deal are triggered. It is not a massive fee, but it will help them this summer.

Arsenal are expected to once again spend big. Piero Hincapie's loan deal from Bayer Leverkusen will become permanent for €52m this summer, and a new left winger and striker could follow suit.

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