Arsenal have completed the permanent departures of defenders Jakub Kiwior and goalkeeper Karl Hein this summer, the club confirmed. Kiwior has joined Portuguese champions Porto for a fee of £14.7m, with a further potential £4.2m payable in add-ons.
The Polish centre-back initially joined Porto on loan last summer, making 39 appearances for the club throughout the 2025-26 season. The obligation to buy clause in the loan deal was triggered in May, formally completing his move away from the Emirates Stadium. Kiwior had struggled for consistent playing time with Arsenal since arriving in 2023.
Karl Hein has also made his loan move to Werder Bremen permanent for a fee of £2.6m. The 24-year-old goalkeeper featured sparingly for the Bundesliga side last season, making just two appearances before being sidelined by injury. However, Werder Bremen have indicated Hein will be their first-choice goalkeeper next season following the departure of Mio Backhaus.
Arsenal, having won the Premier League in the previous season, are now focused on strengthening their squad to compete for Champions League success after losing in the final to Paris Saint-Germain. While the squad is already considered one of the best in Europe, manager Mikel Arteta may seek to further refine the team.
Reports suggest that the left wing position could be a target for upgrades, potentially leading to the departure of current options such as Gabriel Martinelli, who is entering the final year of his contract. Gabriel Jesus’s future up front is also subject to speculation, with the possibility of Arsenal seeking another striker to bolster their attacking options. The club will be assessing which players fit into their long-term plans as they aim to build on their domestic success and challenge for European honours.
