After signing Leandro Trossard, Arsenal wasted no time in diving back into the transfer market to seal a deal for Spezia defender Jakub Kiwior.
But who is the Polish international, what will he bring to the table and why does he cost more than £20m? Phil Costa reports.
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Soccer has the wonderful ability to remind you that development happens at different rates for players. Olivier Giroud was playing in France’s third division at the age of 22, but is now his country’s all-time top scorer. Bojan Krkić couldn’t stop breaking records when he was a teenager, but he spent his next decade in the Championship, Canada and now Japan. The same applies to Jakub Kiwior, who suddenly finds himself at Premier League leaders Arsenal after promotion at Anderlecht, two Slovak clubs and Italian side Spezia.
This was not an overnight success story and Spezia deserves credit for his initial intuition, signing the defender for €2m after MŠK Žilina were forced into bankruptcy during the coronavirus pandemic. Since he joined the club, Kiwior has impressed and saw his national form rewarded with a call-up to the 2022 World Cup, where he started all four games for Poland. His growing reputation quickly coincided with interest from several top clubs; including AC Milan, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund.
Jakub Kiwior. 6’2 CB, rarely deployed as a DM.
Arsenal fans, thoughts? pic.twitter.com/Xjdt4edsNw
— H (@ClockEndH) January 20, 2023
What is instantly clear when watching Kiwior is the natural way in which he accepts responsibility for the first phase. Those in charge of this role are usually higher-level players, in charge of dictating the pace of the game for their teams and, at the same time, they are expected to handle themselves physically. After joining Spezia, former manager Thiago Motta brought the 22-year-old directly into his starting XI and he quickly became the point of reference for his goalkeeper and defensive teammates. He would go down as the deepest defender in a back three, or as the spare man in midfield, turning and firing diagonals across the pitch with pinpoint accuracy.
This will have been an important factor in drawing the attention of the club’s scouts due to the responsibility that falls on their centre-backs to progress in the game. Sure, William Saliba and Gabriel are statistically superior in passes attempted, passes completed, and progressive passes per 90 this season, but Kiwior is currently averaging 44 passes per game with an 85% success rate for I Aquilotti (WhoScored data ) occupying the second and first place. respectively, against all other teammates. There is also variety in his passing despite those long diagonals standing out, with passes driven into midfield and delicate touches on the line, all part of his playbook.
The 22-year-old is also an accomplished ball-carrier, which helps explain his previous stints at left-back and midfield, and he looks surprisingly stylish when passing players into the midfield, sharing similarities with Nemanja Matić in the way they control their taller bodies. He currently sits in the 90th percentile for dribbles completion (0.4) out of 90 among his positional peers in Serie A, and is often asked to provide an alternative ‘ball out’ for Spezia should he struggle to pass to the thirds. There’s a mobility and sharpness to his movement that belies his build, allowing him to easily evade pressure despite the occasional feeling of overplay.
More importantly, there is welcome steel in Kiwior despite his modern approach to defense. Only two players have blocked more shots than the Polish international (18) in Serie A this season, while no other Spezia teammate can top his 1.4 interceptions per 90, highlighting his ability to push up, touch with precision to the forwards and force them back towards His goal. Stylistically, he presents a large, imposing figure with the athletic ability to defend in space, aptly reflecting Gabriel’s current role, who is often isolated behind Oleksandr Zinchenko as he moves into midfield.
As expected for a young player with limited high level experience, there are issues in his game that need to be resolved. Spezia are one of the poorest teams in Italy, conceding more shots per game (16.9) than any other team in the top flight, meaning their defenses have to step in regularly. Kiwior is no stranger to late blocks or tackles, but he will have to curb his habit of going to ground too easily when moving players away from goal would prove just as effective.
There is a slight ‘all or nothing’ feeling to his game that Mikel Arteta has done well to steer clear of, especially defensively, although this could be down to the sheer amount of pressure he faces each week. The 22-year-old will also need to manage his aggression more effectively, as there have been forwards capable of pinning him down (and turning him around) this season, particularly against Inter and Lazio, with Romelu Lukaku and Ciro Immobile able to expose that rawness. .
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There has recently been a real change in the way Arsenal identify players, now focusing on specific attributes and qualities, as opposed to the individuals themselves. The system is clear, what is more important is where you fit, in the five behind or in front of the ball, and how your qualities translate into the role. Watching Kiwior it’s hard to miss his suitability for this team based on his technical level, left-footed distribution and physical ability to defend in isolation. The raw ingredients are there, but the momentum now moves towards the defender and their ability is increased.
It’s worth noting that Kiwior has only spent eighteen months in one of Europe’s top five leagues despite his rapid rise, recording just 43 appearances for Spezia. But he and the club will be comfortable with the way the current environment at London Colney offers a smooth transition to a higher level while remaining competitive, where the defender can acclimatise without feeling an instant demand to conform.
There is no magic formula for betting on potential. But clearly the scouts have done their homework, and the players’ agent even revealed how his client was “delighted” by Arteta during pre-move talks. There is complete trust in the process and very simple: who wouldn’t want to be a part of this?
