Arsenal 'open' to January transfer for defender 'who can become one of the best in Europe'

Arsenal are reportedly open to allowing Jakub Kiwior to leave the club on loan once the winter transfer window opens in January.

Kiwior, 24, has made just nine appearances across all competitions so far this season, all but two of those being as a substitute. Mikel Arteta has only named the defender in the starting line-up for their League Cup ties against League One club Bolton Wanderers and Preston North End of the Championship.

The Poland international, who remains a regular for the national team despite his lack of minutes for the Gunners, was strongly linked with a move during the summer transfer window. Several sides in Italy were said to be interested in Kiwior, who Arsenal signed from Spezia.

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Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio claims Napoli are a club keen on the player ahead of the transfer window opening in the new year. "Napoli has asked about Kiwior's situation at Arsenal," Di Marzio told Goal.pl , "and now Arsenal are open to let him go out on loan.

"Antonio Conte [Napoli's head coach] is thinking about whether he is fit enough to play for Napoli, because he doesn't play at Arsenal. But for sure they will ask and try to get him on loan.

"Right now is the moment for him to come back to Italy, because he has to play. He could definitely find a club here, so he can come back to Italy and become one of the best defenders in Europe again."

Kiwior worked under Thiago Motta at Spezia, who is now the head coach of Juventus, a club he was linked with earlier this year. Motta's former club, Bologna, were also said to want the player included in the protracted deal that brought Riccardo Calafiori to north London this summer. At the same time, Milan was another team reportedly interested.