In Summary
- Riccardo Calafiori was adamant about joining Arsenal,
- Arsenal confirmed the signing of the Italian defender on Monday afternoon,
- Calafiori penned a five-year deal in north London.
Mikel Arteta has revealed that new signing Riccardo Calafiori was hesitant about joining Arsenal, despite being linked with a move to Chelsea
Arsenal confirmed the signing of the Italian defender on Monday afternoon, with Calafiori penning a five-year deal in north London.
READ also: Arsenal Closing In On Calafiori Deal
Mikel Arteta On Riccardo
Mikel Arteta has showered Riccardo with praise describing him as a big personality as he welcomed the player to Arsenal
“Riccardo is a big personality and character, with specific skills which will make us stronger as we push to win major trophies. He has already shown great development in recent seasons with his performances for both Bologna and Italy, with his progression and development in the past year being really impressive.
“We’re looking forward to working with Riccardo, integrating him into the squad, and supporting him in the years to come.”
Riccardo will wear the number 33 shirt and has travelled to the US to join up with his new teammates in Philadelphia, as we continue our preparations ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Though different teams including Chelsea showed interest in signing the player Arteta confirmed that Calafiori only ever wanted to join Arsenal
“I wasn’t really sure if we could do it or not, but he was adamant: ‘Let me know when you’re ready, my bags are packed, and I just want to come to Arsenal.’ Those were his words, and when you have someone with that willingness to join and improve us, it’s something really powerful. As a club, we should be really proud of that.” Said Arteta
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Riccardo Calafiori
Riccardo started his career in the youth academy at Roma, where he spent 12 years developing from the youth set-up into the first-team. During his time there, he gained valuable experience on loan at fellow Italian side Genoa during the 2021/22 season.
In August 2022, the young defender, who has represented his national team at every age group, moved to Swiss side Basel, where he was a regular and made 26 league appearances that season. His high-quality performances resulted in a return to his homeland, with the imposing defender transferring to Bologna in August 2023.
