Arsenal make Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu stance clear after new double bid

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Arsenal have reiterated their stance that they intend to keep defenders Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu at the club this month.

This comes as the Gunners reportedly rejected enquiries from last season’s Serie A champions Napoli over both players.

It emerged in recent months that Arsenal rejected an offer from Inter for Tomiyasu, and there has been interest from Bayern Munich but the defender looks set to sign a new contract.

AC Milan are also interested in Kiwior, but it now seems that Mikel Arteta does not want to lose either player.

Arsenal reject Napoli enquires for Tomiyasu and Kiwior

Italian journalist Ciro Venerato was speaking on RAI TV when he revealed that Napoli had enquired for both players, but were met with a firm rejection from Arsenal.

“Last night too, Arsenal reiterated their no for Kiwior and (above all) Tomiyasu, the true passion of the Campania management,” he stated of Napoli’s interest in the pair.

Tomiyasu is currently away at the Asia Cup, and may not be available for Arsenal until February, whilst Kiwior has started the last two games in the absence of both Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back.

Arsenal cannot lose Tomiyasu or Kiwior in January

Arsenal are desperately short of defensive depth, and will look to bring in another option in the January window.

Mikel Arteta cannot afford to lose either player in this window despite neither Tomiyasu or Kiwior featuring regularly.

Tomiyasu has been injured for parts of the campaign, whilst Kiwior found minutes limited until Zinchenko picked up an injury.

Kiwior has disappointed at left-back, but there is an acceptance amongst the fanbase that he is better-suited to a role in the centre of defence.

Tomiyasu has been outstanding at times this season, but his injuries were frustrating given that Ben White has been playing with a knee problem for two months.

Nevertheless, Arsenal have full faith in Tomiyasu as they are about to hand him a new contract, and Kiwior’s game time has increased, showing that he is still a necessary part of the squad whilst several defenders are absent

Jurrien Timber is out with a long-term injury, but Thomas Partey looks set to return soon, and he could even reprise his role as an inverted right-back as he did at the start of the season, with Arteta recently claiming that he wants to take advantage of his versatility to make Arsenal more unpredictable.