Porto are close to agreeing a loan with obligation to buy Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior.
Porto and Arsenal have been discussing a total package that would be worth £26million, including the loan fee.
The 25-year-old Poland international joined Arsenal from Spezia in January 2023 for £20m but has never fully established himself under Mikel Arteta, making 68 appearances largely as cover for William Saliba and Gabriel.
With Arsenal well stocked in central defence, Kiwior has emerged as one of several players the club are prepared to move on before next week’s deadline.
While Porto push for Kiwior, Arsenal are also working on a potential deal for Bayer Leverkusen centre back Piero Hincapie.
The Ecuador international has a £52m release clause but Arsenal are exploring ways of striking a deal on reduced terms. He has long been admired in north London and is understood to be open to the switch.
Leverkusen, though, have already lost several key players and maintain they will not sell Hincapie below his clause, despite interest from Tottenham, Newcastle and Liverpool.
Arsenal ideally need to move on Kiwior, and potentially Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has admirers including Fenerbahce, before committing major funds to the deal.
Arteta is already working with an inflated squad after a summer of heavy spending that has seen almost £200m invested in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera.
Should Hincapie arrive before the deadline, it would take Arsenal’s outlay past £300m for the window and push Arteta’s total spending as Gunners boss beyond the £1bn mark since 2019.