In summary:
- Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori is set to join Arsenal for £42.1 million, with personal terms and payment structure being the final hurdles.
- The move addresses Arsenal’s need for left-back depth, especially after Oleksandr Zinchenko’s inconsistent performance last season.
- Calafiori’s potential arrival adds to Arsenal’s summer activity, with the club also finalizing a deal for goalkeeper David Raya and exploring options for attacking reinforcements.
Riccardo Calafiori, a defender for Bologna, is almost ready to join Arsenal for £42.1 million.
Although there are still issues to work out regarding the terms and payment schedule, most of the details have been settled.
It is believed that personal terms will be resolved quickly. Basel, Calafiori’s previous team, will split the profit from the transfer with Bologna.
READ also: Arsenal Thrush Tottenham Tops EPL Table with 80 Points
Calafiori rejects interest from Real Madrid
Calafiori committed himself to Arsenal, rejecting interest from Real Madrid and Juventus. To complete the trade, both teams have been collaborating with his agent, Alessandro Lucci.
For £3.4 million, Bologna acquired the 22-year-old defender in the summer of last year. Despite Italy’s early elimination from the Euro 2024 competition, Calafiori showed promise.
His suspension caused him to miss Italy’s last-16 exit to Switzerland. Oleksandr Zinchenko did not play up to par last season; therefore, Arsenal needs to bring in more left-backs.
A permanent transfer to Arsenal has been finalized by David Raya in addition to Calafiori. In the event that Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah depart as expected, the team is also thinking about adding attacking players.
The schedule for Arsenal’s preseason games is as follows:
July 24: Arsenal vs. Bournemouth
July 27: Arsenal vs. Manchester United
July 31: Arsenal vs. Liverpool
August 7: Arsenal vs. Bayer Leverkusen
August 11: Arsenal vs. Lyon
The transfer window for the Premier League ends on August 30th. This year, Deadline Day has been aligned with other major European leagues, following discussions among leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain, and France.
