Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior is reportedly wanted by at least two Italian clubs ahead of the summer transfer window.
Up until recently, the Poland international had been regarded as a backup option in Mikel Arteta‘s squad and there seemingly being little chance of his status improving in the short term.
However, a season-ending injury to Gabriel Magalhaes opened up the door for Kiwior to feature in the middle of the Gunners backline and he has taken his opportunity with both hands.
Since April 5, Kiwior has made 10 starts for Arsenal in all competitions – completing the 90 minutes on each occasion – to highlight how impressively he has performed.
Nevertheless, as per Football Insider, there are at least two teams from Serie A who will attempt to sign him in the summer.
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Which Italian teams are interested?
The report alleges that each of Inter Milan and Juventus are open to negotiating terms with their Arsenal counterparts for the 25-year-old.
As per the report, there is an acknowledgement that the eventual return of Gabriel will lead to Kiwior dropping back down to the substitutes’ bench.
That essentially leaves him with a decision to make regarding his long-term future, although it should be acknowledged that Arsenal remain in full control of the situation.
Kiwior possesses a contract at the Emirates Stadium until 2028 and are now in a position to demand a fee higher than the £20m deal that they negotiated with Spezia back in January 2023.
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Would Arteta consider a sale?
Given Kiwior’s ability to also deputise at left-back and as a defensive midfielder when required, it appears highly unlikely that Arteta would give the green light to a sale at this point in time.
Furthermore, any interest from a high-profile club such as Inter or Juventus would emphasise how Kiwior has enhanced his reputation in recent weeks.
If Kiwior moved to Inter, it is debatable whether he would become first choice with Inter reaching the Champions League final for the second time in three years.
That said, Simone Inzaghi‘s back-three system would theoretically grant him more opportunities on a rotational basis than he would get at Arsenal.
Meanwhile, any move to Juventus would be dependent on whether they achieve Champions League football and if they decide to try to sign Chelsea loanee Renato Veiga on a permanent deal.
