Jose Mourinho targets move for £21m Arsenal man as he aims to guide his team to Champions League qualification

Former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho is hoping to do business with one of his old rivals as he eyes a move for Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior, according to reports.

Mourinho’s team AS Roma are currently seventh in Serie A after 12 games, but have set their sights on qualifying for the Champions League after a sixth place finish last term.

The Italian giants missed out on Champions League football by six points last season and also missed out on glory in the Europa League final on penalties in a game which could have earned them an automatic place in Europe’s elite competition.

Mourinho has strengthened his team this summer with the signings of Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea, while he has also recruited PSG man Renato Sanches and Leandro Parades in a bid to strengthen his midfield.

The Portuguese coach has now turned his attention to his defence and is believed to be a huge admirer of Kiwior who previously played his football in Serie A with Spezia Calcio.

Arsenal beat off competition from a number of clubs to secure Kiwior’s services in January for a fee of £21m. However, the 23-year-old defender has been limited to just 11 Premier League appearances this calendar year, with several of those coming from the subs bench.

Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb explains that Mourinho is a fan of Kiwior, who is capable of playing at both central defence and left back. It is also believed that Mourinho is hoping to sign the player on loan, with an option to buy permanently in the summer.

Football.London claims that Kiwior is unlikely to leave Arsenal in January unless there is further recruitment in January. The club currently had William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes as their first choices, while summer signing Jurrien Timber recovers from a long-term injury.

Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu offer further depth across the back four, although Tomiyasu is expected to miss up to five games with Japan in January when he competes in the Asian Cup.

Kiwior arrived at Arsenal with huge potential and has made 17 caps for the Poland national team. He is expected to make the squad for Euro 2024, but will be determined to get more first team opportunities in the coming months.