Porto have confirmed the permanent signing of Jakub Kiwior from Arsenal after triggering their option to buy the defender.
Porto have confirmed the permanent signing of Jakub Kiwior from Arsenal after exercising the option to buy included in his loan agreement.
The Portuguese champions announced the deal in an official statement on Monday, confirming they will pay a fixed fee of €17million, with a further €5million available in variables depending on certain objectives.
Arsenal will also retain a fixed €2million payment in the event of a future transfer involving the Poland international.
Kiwior has signed a contract with Porto until June 2030, while the club confirmed his release clause has been set at €70million.
The move brings Kiwior’s time at Arsenal to an end after a productive loan spell in Portugal. The defender helped Porto win the Primeira Liga this season, playing the first half of their title-clinching 1-0 win over Alverca.
For Arsenal, the deal provides clarity around a player whose pathway back into Mikel Arteta’s squad had become increasingly complicated.
Kiwior made 25 league appearances during Porto’s title-winning campaign, with the champions conceding just 15 goals across the Liga Portugal season. Across all competitions, he featured 38 times, including eight appearances in the Europa League.
Those numbers underline why Porto were willing to make the move permanent. Kiwior was not simply a squad option during his loan. He became a regular part of a successful defensive unit and leaves Arsenal having strengthened his value through consistent football.
From an Arsenal perspective, the timing is understandable. Arteta has built significant defensive depth, particularly on the left side of his back line. Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie have both given Arsenal strong options who can operate at left-back or centre-back, while Myles Lewis-Skelly has also shown he is highly capable in that area.
That left Kiwior facing a difficult route to regular minutes if he returned to north London. The 26-year-old has always offered useful qualities as a left-footed defender comfortable across more than one role, but Arsenal’s squad depth meant a permanent exit was a logical possibility.
Porto’s statement also confirmed that Arsenal will assume responsibility for the solidarity mechanism due to third parties, and that the transfer did not involve any intermediary.
Kiwior’s Arsenal spell may not have developed into a long-term first-team role, but the loan achieved what both player and club needed. He played regularly, won a league title and has now secured a permanent move to a club where he has already made a clear impact.