Arsenal defender was suddenly traded and was still on the training ground when he learned of his departure

Portuguese club announced on the last day of the summer transfer window that Polish defender Yakub Kiviol will be loaned from Arsenal. The 25-year-old admitted that the suddenness of the transfer made him unable to properly complete his farewell.

It is reported that after signing Leverkusen defender Piero Hinkapier, Arsenal agreed to leave Kiviol in the form of loan first and then transfer. The Porto Club has the right to buy out. If this clause is not exercised, Arsenal can actively complete a permanent transfer in the summer of 2025.

Kiviore revealed to the Polish Football Association that the transfer news was first learned through social media. "I find it difficult to say goodbye formally because I cannot predict the final date. In the past three days, I have never been sure which day will be the last moment." He said, "When transfer news reporter Fabrizio Romano released the 'here we go' update, a lot of congratulations came into my phone. At that time, I was in the training ground, and my teammates looked at my phone and asked me: 'Since the transfer is a foregone conclusion, why are you still wearing training clothes?'" The Polish international said that he refused to say goodbye that day because he did not receive the club's official notice. He did not return to the base to say goodbye to the coach and teammates until the transfer details were confirmed the next day. "They lined up to see him off, and that moment was moving. Unfortunately, they failed to greet everyone who wanted to say goodbye, and they could only make up for it by phone afterwards."

Kiviol only started 10 Premier League games for Arsenal due to injury last season, but at the end of the 2024-25 season, he got the opportunity due to injury to the main defender Gabriel, and formed a central defender with William Saliba and performed well. In order to get more stable playing time, Kiviol regards the 2025-26 season as a key stage and looks forward to continuing his competitive state in Porto.