By Sabiu Abdullahi
AS Roma’s head coach, Jose Mourinho, is reportedly keen on bolstering his team’s defense in the upcoming January transfer window.
The Portuguese tactician has expressed interest in signing Arsenal’s defender, Jakub Kiwior, to fortify Roma’s backline for the second half of the season.
Mourinho is exploring defensive options and has narrowed down his choices to either Jakub Kiwior or Tottenham’s Eric Dier, as revealed by Italian publication Romagiallorossa.
The decision to pursue Kiwior comes amid the need to address potential defensive gaps in the absence of Evan Ndicka, who will be participating in the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast in January.
Kiwior, a 23-year-old Polish international, made the move to Arsenal from Spezia Calcio in January for a transfer fee of €25 million.
Despite the significant investment, Kiwior has found it challenging to secure regular playing time, often serving as a backup to first-choice left centre-back Gabriel.
In the current Premier League season, Kiwior has made only four appearances under manager Mikel Arteta.
Across all competitions, he has featured in 16 games, scoring one goal and providing no assists. Roma sees the young defender as a potential cost-effective solution to reinforce their squad during Ndicka’s absence.
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