Mikel Arteta drops new Arsenal transfer hint as Andrea Berta races to complete deadline day deal

Mikel Arteta has cast doubt over Jakub Kiwior's future at Arsenal.

The 25-year-old defender, who joined the Gunners from Spezia in January 2023 for £20m, was omitted from the travelling squad to face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

Despite having played a key role in the Gunners' side toward the end of last season, he's been heavily linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium. Kiwior started each of the north Londoners' final nine games of the Premier League season as they finished second in the table.

READ MORE: Arsenal have six transfers to complete on deadline day with Piero Hincapie update

READ MORE: Zubimendi error costly, and star's efforts go unanswered - Arsenal player ratings vs Liverpool

The Poland international also started eight times for Arsenal in the Champions League, five of which came in the knockout stages. Despite his efforts, Arteta appears to have overlooked him as an option this term.

This summer, the Gunners signed Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia, who was preferred to Kiwior on the bench for the Liverpool clash. Andrea Berta also looks set to wrap up a deal for Piero Hincapie, who'll push the Polish centre-half further down the pecking order.

Porto have been mooted as a potential suitor for Kiwior, but, as it stands, it remains to be seen whether or not they'll secure his signature ahead of Monday night's deadline. Potentially in anticipation of an exit, the defender was at home for the trip to Merseyside.

At the start of April, Arteta heaped great praise on Kiwior for stepping up in Gabriel Magalhaes' absence. Speaking to reporters following a 2-1 win over Fulham, the Arsenal boss said: "The good thing with Jakub is that he's been very reliable.

"Every time we need him he's always there, he's available and he does his job. We ask him to play as a left centre-back, as a right centre-back, as a left full-back. He's ready, he's got a smile on his face."

A few weeks later, ahead of the Gunners' upcoming clash against Bournemouth, Arteta was singing from the same hymn sheet. The Spaniard said: "He's so likeable. Everybody really loves him in that dressing room.

"He's very vocal on the pitch. He obviously had a language barrier at the beginning when he joined us. Now he's much more open with the boys, and he gets on really well with everybody. So I'm very happy with him."

Then, before the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain, Arteta described Kiwior as 'exceptional'. The Arsenal boss said: "Well, again, he deserves a lot of credit because he hasn't played too much throughout many months.

"And, suddenly he's been thrown into the most difficult context, at the highest level, playing against the best opponents, when you haven't had the physical rhythm or the confidence to do it, and I think he's been exceptional."