Marcos Reina Acknowledges Impact of Former Arsenal Player's Arrival at Persik Kediri

Persik Kediri manager Marcos Reina has acknowledged the impact of the arrival of former Arsenal player Jon Toral this season for his team.

Jon Toral became one of the new names in the 2025-2026 Super League when the mid-season transfer window opened. The Spanish attacking midfielder was officially introduced as a Persik Kediri player on 15 January 2026.

Toral’s career is well known because he studied at Barcelona and Arsenal academies before embarking on a professional career. This background made his arrival attract considerable attention.

Since joining, the 31-year-old player immediately received opportunities to play. In five matches with Persik in the Super League this season, Toral has recorded two goals and two assists. This record has helped the attacking line of the team from Kediri perform more productively.

Persik manager Marcos Reina explained the reasoning behind Toral’s recruitment. According to him, the player’s quality was the primary consideration.

“Jon Toral was brought in because we know he is a quality player. He is a graduate of Arsenal and Barcelona academies. So his style of play matches what I expected,” said Marcos Reina during a press conference ahead of the Persis versus Persik match at Manahan Stadium, Surakarta, on Saturday (28 February 2026).

In addition to his role as an attacking midfielder, Toral is considered capable of maintaining the rhythm of play when Persik builds attacks from the midfield line. His 1.84-metre stature also makes him strong in physical duels.