Jakub Kiwior’s loan move from Arsenal to Porto is expected to become permanent before the end of May, with O Jogo reporting that concerns over any so-called “bridge transfer” rule do not apply in his case.
Jakub Kiwior’s Arsenal future appears to be heading towards a firm conclusion, with O Jogo reporting that Porto’s permanent move for the defender is now little more than a formality. According to the Portuguese report, the relevant step is expected to be completed by 31 May, which would finally turn what has been a season-long loan arrangement into a settled piece of transfer business.
For Arsenal, that would bring certainty as much as income. Kiwior left north London last summer needing regular football, and Porto gave him that platform. Now the indication from Portugal is that the temporary spell is about to become permanent, which would allow Arsenal to close the door on one of the more obvious unresolved situations in the squad. Rather than entering another summer with questions over whether Kiwior returns to fight for a place or leaves again, Arsenal would be dealing with a clean exit and the financial clarity that comes with it very early into the summer transfer window.
The structure of the original agreement matters here. When the move was first struck that Porto paid €2 million for the loan and that the deal included an obligatory purchase clause worth €17 million, plus up to €5 million in add-ons. The same report said Arsenal had also protected their position in the event of a future sale by Porto, which means this could be a deal that continues to carry value beyond the defender’s initial departure.
The move may not end with Kiwior simply settling at Porto for the long term, with the report suggesting the defender would not necessarily still be a Porto player by the end of the summer window. This naturally raises questions about how quickly a second transfer could follow and the regulatory issues around that usually surround short-term transfers such as this.
O Jogo states the bridge transfer rule does not apply to Kiwior’s case, removing one possible complication. For Arsenal, though, that is not the real story. The more important point is that his move to Porto now appears close to being completed on the terms already in place.
If Porto follow through before the end of May, Arsenal will bank the main fee, gain clarity over one of their more obvious squad situations and still keep an interest in any future developments in regards to sales. That would make Kiwior’s exit look like a smart and tidy piece of business.