Arsenal started the new season rather triumphantly, dispatching Wolves 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
It was Kai Havertz, a man who is turning into one of the best forwards in the league who got the club’s account underway before a fizzing effort from Bukayo Saka sealed the points.
There is much optimism about this season and rightly so considering how close Mikel Arteta’s side came last season.
In 2022/23 they were five points off Manchester City and last term they were just two. So, if the progress continues this feels like their best shot at winning the Premier League for the first time in 20 years.
They could still strengthen too. Riccardo Calafiori has signed on the dotted line and it’s thought that Mikel Merino is now at long last closing in on his move to north London.
There could also be a few departures too. Eddie Nketiah continues to be linked with a move away but two interested parties have now already strengthened their forward line. Marseille weren’t willing to meet Arsenal’s asking price so signed Elye Wahi instead while Bournemouth were also casting their eye over the forward before signing Evanilson from Porto.
There might also be a departure for Jakub Kiwior who was left out of the squad on Saturday afternoon.
What the future holds for Jakub Kiwior
The Poland international was signed rather out of the blue from Spezia for a fee of £20m during the 2023 winter window but has struggled to ever nail down a regular spot in the side.
A centre-back by trade, the impeccable form of William Saliba and Gabriel has meant he’s never had a look in that third of the pitch.
Consequently, he’s largely been utilised at left-back, a position he actually performed admirably in last season, favoured over Oleksandr Zinchenko at a crucial stage of the season.
The Pole started a run of six league games between February and March, impressing as Arsenal stuck six past West Ham, five past Burnley, four past Newcastle and another half a dozen past Sheffield United. During that period he assisted two goals and scored once.
That being said, the £58k-per-week defender has been bumped further down the pecking order at the start of the new campaign.
Jurrien Timber – who spent much of last season out with an ACL injury – came off the bench against Wolves to replace Zinchenko at left back and the addition of Calafiori, who plays in both of Kiwior’s positions won’t be helpful.
As such the 24-year-old wasn’t even included in the squad for the visit of Gary O’Neil’s side on Saturday. That’s hardly a shocking piece of news but it does not bode well for his involvement this season.
It wouldn’t even be too far-fetched to suggest he might not play for the club again. Indeed, he is reportedly wanted by a whole host of Italian clubs, including Inter and Juventus.
So, there is the potential for Kiwior to leave before the window is done and it wouldn’t be a great surprise if he did. Minutes will be hard to come by and Arsenal aren’t in need of his versatility anymore.
Timber’s return and Calafiori’s arrival have put the final nail in his coffin, as too has the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri.
He might not play in the same position but you sense Arsenal would get far more from including the teenager on the bench than Kiwior, as they did this weekend.
He was one of the main winners of Arsenal’s pre-season tour. Kiwior certainly was not. It’s time for him to pack his bags and head off on his merry way back to Italy.
