Arsenal miss out on £26m summer transfer boost as club pull the plug on deal

Porto reportedly pulled out of a deal to sign Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior after balking at the Gunners' asking price. Arsenal have spent big so far this summer, forking out almost £200million to sign Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

However, there have not been any major outgoings, with Nuno Tavares and Marquinhos sold to Lazio and Cruzeiro respectively and Jorginho, Kieran Tierney, Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu all released.

There are several fringe players that Arsenal are looking to sell this summer and Kiwior appears to be one of them following the addition of Mosquera. Kiwior made 21 starts across all competitions last season and was a target for Porto, according to A Bola.

The report states that Porto approached Arsenal over a deal for Kiwior, but the Gunners said they were only willing to sell the defender for €30m (£26m). As a result, Porto turned their attention to Kiwior's international teammate Jan Bednarek instead.

And Bednarek has joined Porto on a four-year deal from Southampton, spending just £6.5m on the 29-year-old. "Winning every game is the most important thing," Bednarek said after joining the club.

READ MORE: Transfer news LIVE: Newcastle table new Sesko bid, Isak update, Elliott's Liverpool exit, Arsenal latest

READ MORE: Rio Ferdinand makes thoughts clear on Arsenal star – 'The best talent since Wayne Rooney'

"Winning every duel, every tackle, seizing every opportunity to score goals. We have to seize those opportunities with both hands. That will lead us to something extraordinary this season. In the end, as a club and as a big family, we will achieve something great."

It now remains to be seen what the future holds for Kiwior, who has previously been described as "exceptional" by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. Speaking back in May, Arteta said: "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."

Arsenal are also working on a deal to sell midfielder Fabio Vieira to Stuttgart after he spent last season on loan at Porto. According to the Athletic, the two clubs are yet to reach an agreement but talks are continuing.

Vieira joined Arsenal from Porto back in 2022 but has struggled for game time, making just 17 starts across all competitions before rejoining Porto on loan last season. The 25-year-old scored five goals and provided six assists in 42 appearances for Porto.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.