Portuguese champions Porto have confirmed the signing of Jakub Kiwior from Arsenal. Porto’s statement outlined structured payments: Arsenal could receive an extra $5.9 million “depending on the achievement of certain objectives,” while any subsequent transfer for Kiwior would generate up to $2.4 million more for the Gunners.

Kiwior joined Arsenal from Spezia for a fee in the region of $22.9 million and spent two seasons largely as a squad player. He was never a first-choice option but developed into a dependable understudy. His most notable run came late last season when he was required to fill in after Gabriel’s injury and produced a string of composed displays in Champions League knockout ties against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

Mikel Arteta publicly acknowledged that contribution. “He deserves a lot of credit because he hasn’t played too much throughout many months and suddenly he has been thrown into the most difficult context,” the Arsenal boss said. “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.”

Those performances nevertheless coincided with a period in which Arsenal adapted well without him on the pitch. The club is operating at a delicate moment in the Premier League financial landscape and must weigh sales as carefully as purchases. Removing one versatile left-footed defender from the squad wage bill and transfer list creates space to pursue a younger, enhanced option for that role.

From Arsenal’s perspective, the deal preserves potential upside through performance-related add-ons and future-transfer payments while allowing the team to target a direct upgrade in a position they have identified. Even better, they already know how well he will fit in.

Mikel Arteta confirmed a timely boost for Arsenal with Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz available for selection for Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal second leg against Atlético Madrid. Havertz had missed the first leg in Spain after damaging his hamstring against Newcastle United, a setback that sidelined him for that match. Viktor Gyökeres has since scored three goals across the subsequent two matches but “lacks the craft and guile of his teammate,” leaving Arteta with tactical choices to consider given Atlético’s typical defensive setup.

Against an opponent likely to press aggressively in spells while affording limited space behind their backline, Havertz is described in the original report as the more natural option through the middle. “We need options,” the Arsenal boss warned, “we need the capacity to play different games, whether it’s from the start or after. So it’s really, really good news for us to have them both back.” That flexibility is important for a manager preparing for a two-legged tie.

Arsenal’s preparations have been brightened by the return of those two players. Atlético’s preparations were disrupted on the eve of the match after multiple members of the playing and coaching staff were thought to have been woken at around 1.30 a.m. by fireworks set off outside Atlético’s hotel in east London. A second batch were released 20 minutes later, which convinced club staff this was a targeted approach. MARCA report that the club swiftly complained to UEFA about this interference.

An additional detail is that Atlético chose to stay in a different hotel to the one they used when they met Arsenal earlier in the Champions League this season. Manager Diego Simeone said this was down to finances while club president Enrique Cerezo laughed it off: “The economy is the economy.”

Off the field Arsenal continue to wait on Jurriën Timber. The fullback has not featured since being forced off with a groin problem against Everton in mid-March. Arsenal have lost four of six domestic matches in Timber’s absence, tumbling out of both cup competitions and allowing Manchester City back into the Premier League title race. There is no clear timeline for Timber’s return.

While Arsenal Women were celebrating their place as Europe’s top team at the end of the 2024–25 season, the men’s side were left to confront the gaps in their trophy cabinet. Mikel Arteta’s team go into this campaign hopeful of going all the way, with just 90 minutes separating them from a spot in the final.

The last time the men reached a European Cup final was in 2006. Arsène Wenger’s side became the first London team to reach a Champions League final when they travelled to the Stade de France to face Barcelona. Arsenal had progressed through a weak group and then eliminated Real Madrid, Juventus and Villarreal in the knockouts without conceding a single goal.

Barcelona arrived with a line-up featuring Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o and Deco, with Xavi and Andrés Iniesta on the bench. Lionel Messi was in his first season as a starter but did not play beyond the round of 16 after a season-ending hamstring injury.

Barcelona starting XI: Valdés; Oleguer, Márquez, Puyol, Van Bronckhorst; Edmilson, Deco, Van Bommel; Giuly, Eto’o, Ronaldinho.

Arsenal starting XI: Lehmann; Eboué, Touré, Campbell, Cole; Pirès, Gilberto, Fàbregas, Hleb; Ljungberg; Henry.

The final swung early. Jens Lehmann became the first player in the history of the European Cup to be sent off in the final after hauling Eto’o to the ground outside the box, an event that erased a late Ludovic Giuly goal which was pulled back because of the red card. Despite going down to ten men, Arsenal took the lead when Sol Campbell headed home a Thierry Henry free kick shortly before half-time.

Barcelona levelled in the 76th minute through Eto’o and took the lead four minutes later when substitute Juliano Belletti scored the winner. That result left Arsenal as the first team to finish as runners-up in the Champions League, UEFA Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup.

Arsenal have lost three major European finals: the 1999–00 UEFA Cup final (defeat to Galatasaray on penalties) and the 2018–19 Europa League final, a 4–1 loss to Chelsea in which Olivier Giroud opened the scoring and which proved to be Eden Hazard’s final appearance for the Blues.