21 January 2023 , 11:00
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Arsenal's second signing of the January transfer window Jakub Kiwior has been spotted arriving for his flight to London ahead of his Gunners medical.
The footage comes less than 24 hours after Mikel Arteta's men announced their first arrival of this window in former Brighton winger Leandro Trossard. The Gunners forked out £27million to bring the Seagulls forward to the Emirates but are ready to fork out another £21 to lure Kiwior from Serie A outfit Spezia.
It is not unfair to say this is a move that has taken the overwhelming majority of the Gunners fanbase by surprise, with very few reports linking Arsenal with a move for the Poland international until the deal was as good as done.
Though Arsenal are yet to confirm anything officially, if and when Kiwior completes his medical without any concerns the Gunners could announce something early next week. There are even reports that the defender will be in the Emirates crowd for Sunday's huge showdown against Manchester United.
Kiwior is somewhat of an unknown quantity to most given he has not been plying his trade for one of the big boys in Serie A and is also still only 22. However, those who have been keeping tabs on the Spezia star are adamant he has all the ingredients required to make it to the very top.
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One thing that Gunners boss Arteta seems to like in a transfer target is versatility. Whether it be Oleksandr Zinchenko and his ability to operate as both a left-back and a left-sided central midfielder, or Trossard's tendency to play anywhere across the front-line, the Spaniard enjoys a player who can thrive in different roles.
Jakub Kiwior has made nine appearances for the Poland national team (Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Kiwior be a success at Arsenal? Comment below
Thankfully, Kiwior also fits that bill. While his preferred position is as left-sided central defender, the 22-year-old has also played many games in a slightly more advanced role as a defensive-midfielder.
This could prove to be hugely important for the Gunners, who have long feared about what they would do should current midfield lynchpin Thomas Partey get injured. The Ghanian is essential to the way Arsenal play and the current quality they boast as his deputies flatters to deceive.
In turn, Kiwior could serve as a worthy back-up for Partey, though his priority once officially an Arsenal player is to provide competition for current left-centre-back Gabriel.
As shown countless times this season, it is vital in Arteta's system for the central defenders to possess a high level of technical quality and the ability to remain calm under pressure while playing progressive passes.
This should all come naturally to Kiwior considering this has been a trademark of his game for quite some time and is likely to have been one of the main things that stood out during the Gunners' scouting progress.