Arsenal are 'set to complete a £17.5m deal for Jakub Kiwior, 22'

Arsenal are reportedly close to completing a deal for centre-back Jakub Kiwior as Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen his defence in a £17.5million deal.

According to reports, the Polish defender is set to make the switch from Serie A side Spezia to north London, with both sides said to be keen to complete the deal.

Arteta's side have the second best defensive record in the Premier League this season, and William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben White have starred at the back, but another option at centre-back will leave the Gunners even stronger.

With the Gunners leading the Premier League title race at the halfway point by five points, Arteta will not want his resolute defence to become sloppy, and a new reinforcement would certainly put pressure on the starting side to perform.

Kiwior is a nine-time Poland international, and has starred for Spezia at times this season with 20 appearances, with the Serie A outfit sat in 15th currently as he nears an exit for the Premier League, as per Fabrizio Romano.

However the signing would align with the club's ethos of signing younger players that are perhaps more unheard of than the signings the Gunners have made in the past.

The club has shown in recent years with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Magalhaes and to an extent Granit Xhaka that they prefer to bring in players who will be allowed to develop at the club.

At 22, Kiwior is younger than both White and Magalhaes and just a year older than Saliba, but would bring international experience, as well as 18 months playing at a top five European League to the Emirates.

The Polish international stands at 1.89cm so would be a physical presence at the back for Arsenal, putting him at roughly the same height as both Saliba and Magalhaes - Arteta's preferred pairing.

He has also featured as a central defensive midfielder and a left-back which will appeal to Arteta who regularly moves his defenders around at the back into different starting positions.

The Gunners are still competing in the Europa League and the FA Cup - where they have been drawn against Manchester City in the Fourth Round - as well as navigating their first title race in several years.

Arteta will therefore be keen to bring in as many bodies as possible that fit his side's transfer ethos as possible to decrease the workload on his stars and give them the best shot possible at taking home the trophy.

Arsenal are also busily working on a deal for former Spurs target Leandro Trossard, and have already agreed a £27million deal to bring the Brighton star to the club in January.