Arsenal certainly haven’t been given much reason to regret Jakub Kiwior’s departure, having gone on to win the Premier League without him.
Fortunately for the defender, the feeling appears to be mutual. Kiwior left Arsenal for Porto looking for the regular football he wasn’t getting in London. One year and a Portuguese league title later, he’s made it pretty clear he has no regrets either.
Speaking to Polish channel Sportowy, with his comments relayed by A Bola, the 26-year-old explained just how keen he was on the move when Porto came calling.
“I really wanted to come here. When I found out Porto wanted me and were interested, I was already saying ‘yes’, because I knew Porto would give me more time on the pitch, more opportunities to play and because it’s a very big club,” he said.
Kiwior got exactly what he wanted
Regular football was clearly at the heart of Kiwior’s decision to leave Arsenal. The Poland international believes those minutes have helped him develop, something he couldn’t guarantee during his time with the Gunners.
“Playing regularly is what helps you develop the most. Spending so much time on the pitch helps you grow with every game.”
“I’m 100% happy with my decision to come here. The title confirmed that I’m in the right place.”
It’s difficult to argue with that from either side. Arsenal moved on without Kiwior and ended their long wait for a Premier League title. Kiwior, meanwhile, got the playing time he wanted and collected a league title of his own.
He even admitted he prefers living in Porto to London, so there doesn’t appear to be much homesickness involved either.
| Every Arsenal signing 26/27 | Nationality | Previous Club | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bruno Guimarães | Brazil | Newcastle United | £75m |
| Ezri Konsa | England | Aston Villa | £51m |
| Christos Tzolis | Grecce | Club Brugge | £34m |
| Illan Meslier | France | Leeds United | Free |
| Piero Hincapié | Colombia | Bayer Leverkusen | £34.5m |
First title made the decision even sweeter
The Portuguese title was the first league championship of Kiwior’s career, and the celebrations clearly left an impression.
“It was my first championship and it’ll be difficult for the next one to beat all these celebrations,” he said.
“I hope there are many more opportunities to celebrate, but the bar has been set very high. Seeing the whole city, the supporters and everything prepared to celebrate the title was fantastic. I couldn’t have imagined anything better.”
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