In a recent interview with Give Me Sport, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano claimed that Arsenal have agreed on personal terms with Bologna full-back Riccardo Calafiori. Romano said,
“The negotiation is underway now between Arsenal and Bologna. There’s still no agreement whilst there has been talks between the two clubs, but they are negotiating on a daily basis to reach and agreement on the structure of the deal – on the fee, and all the details needed, including the 50 per cent of the deal to Basel.
“There are some points to clarify between the clubs, but there is an agreement with the player on a five-year contract until 2029, [which is] €4million (£3.4million) net salary per season.”
Calafiori’s Impressive Form In Serie A Last Season
Calafiori enjoyed a solid campaign at the Italian club as he put in a string of impressive performances for them on the right flank. The 22-year-old scored two goals and grabbed five assists in 37 matches for Bologna last season across all fronts.
The Roma-born talent has been a decent performer inside his half based on his average of 1.6 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 2.5 clearances per 90 minutes in Serie A. He has even been accurate when distributing possession from the back after completing 89.8% of his attempted passes in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
Is Calafiori A Decent Signing For Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta?
Calafiori is a tough-tackling defender who can scan the danger well to secure the ball back for his team inside his half. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when needed and can create the odd chance for his teammates from the right flank. The Italy international can even strike the ball well from long range. He is primarily a central defender but can also function as a left-back if asked to do so.
We can expect Calafiori to add more goals and creativity to Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta’s frontline. He is good enough to earn a regular first-team spot at the North London club in the coming years.
At 22, Calafiori has the potential to be a future star in European football as long as he continues to improve with each season. Therefore, he would be a great signing for the Gunners to pursue before the end of this transfer window.
