Arsenal seal ‘sensational’ €25m transfer with defender set for ‘medical tests’; Diaby ‘still on the list’

Joe Williams
Arsenal target Jakub Kiwior holds off an opponent

Premier League side Arsenal have sealed a deal for Spezia defender Jakub Kiwior in the January transfer window, according to reports.

The Gunners have already been very active in the transfer market with Mikel Arteta and technical director Edu missing out on the signing of Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk to fellow Premier League outfit Chelsea.

They are on the verge of strengthening their attacking options with the signing of Leandro Trossard from Brighton with the Belgium international set to complete his medical today ahead of a £27m deal.

And now they are set to add a centre-back to their ranks too with Meczyki journalist Tomasz Włodarczyk claiming that Spezia defender Kiwior is ‘close to a sensational transfer’ to Arsenal.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano endorsed his information on Twitter and confirming ‘medical tests could take place this week’ with the Polish journalist insisting that ‘advanced talks are underway’ between all parties.

Włodarczyk adds that Kiwior ‘will become one of the most expensive Polish footballers’ at a cost of €25m to Arsenal with the Polish outlet insisting that their information has also been  ‘confirmed by the well-known Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio’.

Kiwior will ‘compete for a place in the team with Gabriel Magalhaes’ and the ‘transfer should be finalised in the coming days’ as the two clubs ‘exchange documents’.

Romano later confirmed that the deal was ‘done’ and that Arsenal have ‘completed the signing’ with Kiwior agreeing ‘personal terms on a five-year deal’.

Bayer Leverkusen forward Moussa Diaby is another player who has been linked with a move to Arsenal in the January transfer window but Bild reporter Christian Falk insists that a deal will only happen in the summer.

“We know that Arsenal already had contact with Moussa Diaby for last summer, so he’s still on the list, just not for the winter,” Falk wrote in his Caught Offside column.

“We heard Leverkusen don’t want to sell him. Perhaps if Arsenal have a lot of money somewhere, maybe £100m, Leverkusen would then have a discussion but I don’t think Arsenal can spend that, as we’ve seen from the amount they were prepared to pay for Mykhaylo Mudryk.

“But they knocked on the door last summer, so I’m sure they’ll knock again next summer.

“He’s still a hot topic at Newcastle but even they weren’t able to spend more than €70m. He’s really expensive and Leverkusen will keep hold of him if a crazy offer doesn’t arise.

“I don’t see an offer coming about at this moment. Perhaps Liverpool will join the poker table at some point because he’s perfect for this team. But, for now, I don’t think there will be any movement on this front during the winter window.”

READ MORE: Mediawatch: Trossard in ‘remarkable Arsenal U-turn’ after teammate blast and dressing room claim