Arsenal new boy Jakub Kiwior has described his move to the Emirates as the "pinnacle" of his fledgling career so far.
The 22-year-old became the Gunners' second arrival of the January transfer window after his signing from Serie A club Spezia was confirmed on Monday evening.
Kiwior joins fellow new arrival Leandro Trossard in Mikel Arteta's ranks for the second half of the season, and he is believed to have signed a four-and-a-half year deal with an option to extend until 2028.
Arsenal paid an upfront fee of £17.5m to sign the Poland international, which could rise to £21m with performance-related add-ons, and he was in the stands for the Gunners' 3-2 Premier League win over Manchester United on Sunday.
Speaking to arsenal.com after signing his contract, Kiwior admitted that he "laughed" after seeing his name on the back of the red and white jersey and was "ecstatic" about the chance to test himself in the Premier League.
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"When I saw my name on an Arsenal shirt for the first time, I just laughed! I was so happy to see my name on the shirt of such a huge club. For me, it's an incredibly happy moment and the pinnacle to play for such a big club," Kiwior said.
"I've always dreamt of playing in the Premier League. I knew it wouldn't be easy, and if I got the chance, then I knew I'd have to make the most of it because it was one of my biggest dreams. For me, it's the best league. I'm thrilled to be here.
"It's huge for me that Arsenal were interested and that I'm able to be here. I'm aware that Arsenal are a massive club in a top league, so I didn't really have to think about much else. I was just ecstatic and really wanted to come.
"It's difficult to talk about myself, but I think I'm quick for a centre-half. I love passing the ball. I like teams that move the ball and try to create chances that way. So, I'm happy that I've come to a team like that."
Kiwior made 43 appearances for Spezia and played a major part in the club's Serie A survival in the 2021-22 season, operating as a defensive midfielder before moving to a centre-back role.
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The versatile defender, who previously spent time in Anderlecht's academy, earned a spot in Poland's World Cup squad owing to his form in Italy, and he started all four of the Eagles' matches in Qatar as they lost to France in the last 16.
Kiwior will be the fourth Polish player to represent Arsenal after Lukasz Fabianski, Wojciech Szczesny and Krystian Bielik, and the latter two were also a part of Poland's World Cup team alongside the centre-back.
"I remember when Wojciech Szczesny and Krystian Bielik played here. I haven't had a chance to speak to Wojciech yet - we'll definitely have a chat when we meet up for international duty," Kiwior added.
"I got a message from Krystian straight away congratulating me. That was nice, plus he told me to text him if I had any problems or anything like that. I'm really happy to get such a positive reaction right away.
"I had the chance to be at the stadium for the first time yesterday [Sunday] and to support the team from the stands like a fan. It was a great experience. I was really happy that the result went in Arsenal's favour. I hope I'll get a taste of what the stadium is like from the pitch soon."
Kiwior could make his debut for Arsenal when they take on Manchester City in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday.
Ben Knapton
