Powerful Poland international defender Jakub Kiwior has proven his worth since his arrival in January 2023. In 2024/25, deputised superbly for Gabriel Magalhaes, starting home and away as we despatched Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.
In 2023/24, the versatile defender made 30 appearances – 18 of them starts – including a stint at left back through February and March 2024. That run included six Premier League victories and a battling 0-0 draw at Manchester City.
He also contributed one goal, in the 4-1 win over Newcastle United in February 2024, and three assists. The athletic and versatile defender, who can also play centre back and often features on the left of a back three for his country, signed from Italian side Spezia, having played a leading role for Poland at the World Cup the previous month.
He featured eight times in the second half of 2022/23, scoring his first goal in the final-day 5-0 win over Wolves.
Jakub spent his youth career at Polish club GKS Tychy and in Belgium with Anderlecht before moving to Slovakian side FK Zeleziarne Podbrezova as an 18-year-old. From MSK Zilina he joined Spezia in August 2021, and made his international debut the following June.
He played every minute of Poland’s World Cup campaign, which took them to the last 16 for the first time in 36 years. He was again on international duty last summer as the country reached the knockout stages of Euro 2024 in Germany.
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