At the start of July, the Jakub Kiwior transfer to FC Porto was completed permanently after the Dragons opted to trigger the Polish defender’s buy option from the loan agreement.
After a stellar season in Portugal, with Kiwior forming a formidable partnership with fellow Pole Jan Bednarek, FC Porto clinched the Liga Portugal title emphatically.
The two Polish centre-backs formed “The Polish Wall” last term at the Dragons, as the 2025/26 Liga Portugal champions only shipped 18 goals all season in the league.
They were key to FC Porto storming to the league title, their 31st league triumph in the club’s history, and they were able to put an end to Sporting CP’s recent dominance.
The Jakub Kiwior signing for the Dragons can be seen as a good thing for the Liga Portugal champions, but for the defender himself, it was something that he could not avoid after the reinforcements his parent club Arsenal had made in his place.
Jakub Kiwior Transfer: The Successful Loan At FC Porto
At the start of the 2025/26 season, it was evident that the Polish versatile defender would be on his way out of London, on a loan or permanent transfer.
It wasn’t that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta gave up on him, but the signings he made that summer, namely Christian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie, saw the Pole drop down the pecking order.
It was always going to be hard for him to thrive in such a pressure-filled environment, as the Gunners looked to chase down the Premier League title and pick up the UEFA Champions League.
Ahead of a brand new season, Kiwior had a chance of a new lease of life. A new league, a new challenge and a chance to prove his worth as a class defender.
When Porto came knocking, it was a no-brainer, especially with fellow Polish defender Jan Bednarek at the club, and they would go on to a fantastic defensive partnership.
Bednarek may have taken all the plaudits as he was the highest-rated centre-back in the Liga Portugal that season, but Kiwior was not far behind, rated at 7.42, only 0.12 lower than his partner in crime.
By the end of the 2025/26 season, Kiwior picked up 14 clean sheets in Liga Portugal and conceded only 11 goals whilst he was on the pitch, some stats to be very proud of.
His passing ability, along with his strong defensive contributions, helped the Dragons reach new heights, as the Jakub Kiwior transfer was always destined in the stars.
Jakub Kiwior Transfer: The Lost Opportunity At The Gunners
The Jakub Kiwior transfer will be seen as a blessing for FC Porto, but for Kiwior on a personal level, he was unable to fight for his place at the now Premier League champions.
The Arsenal defence is flooded with stars like the centre-back duo of William Saliba and Gabriel, Ricardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie, Christian Mosquera, Ben White, and Myles Lewis-Skelly, just to name a few.
It was always going to be hard for the Poland international to fight with these players for a place in the squad, and for him personally, it was best to find a move away to get regular minutes.
However, in such a competitive environment like Arsenal, the Jakub Kiwior transfer to FC Porto highlights how tough it can be to get your opportunity at a top European side.
With the Gunners now Premier League champions once again after 20 long years, their defensive structure and depth are second to none, and that’s no disrespect to Kiwior, who made himself seen during the two-and-a-half seasons he spent in London.
For a player who moved from Slovakia to Italy and then to England in the space of only a few years, it was always going to be difficult for him to get used to the intensity of the Premier League.
With that being said, the Jakub Kiwior transfer to FC Porto signifies the end of a chapter where the Poland defender grew as a player, and the Premier League certainly helped him become a Liga Portugal champion in its own right.
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Jakub Kiwior Transfer: The Polish Trio In Porto
The Polish trio of Jakub Kiwior, Jan Bednarek and Oskar Pietuszewski get to enjoy their first full season with each other in the upcoming 2026/27 campaign.
With prodigy Pietuszewski looking to impress, the winger is most certainly one good season away from a big money move to a European powerhouse.
Looking back at the Jakub Kiwior transfer, it is a great piece of business for the Dragons, who lost experienced Thiago Silva as he returned back to his homeland of Brazil.
With a defence of Kiwior and Bednarek, FC Porto have an assured defence and a centre-back partnership that know each other very well from their time with the Poland national team.
The Jakub Kiwior transfer was definitely a steal for the Dragons, as they look to earn back-to-back Liga Portugal titles and return the glory days back to FC Porto.
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