Arsenal finally launches its transfer window! After exercising the purchase option for David Raya, the London club has just made official the arrival of 22-year-old central defender, Riccardo Calafiori. An arrival that has been expected for weeks, since the Gunners quickly got ahead of their direct competitors, such as Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen and PSG, to secure the services of this promising defender.
Having arrived from FC Basel in the summer of 2023, Calafiori played 33 games with Bologna. During his one and only season in the north-east of Italy, the player trained at AS Roma greatly contributed to the Rossoblu’s fifth place, synonymous with qualification for the Champions League. The first in the history of the Italian club. His performances allowed him to be called up to Luciano Spalletti’s list for Euro 2024, with Italy. A competition in which the Squadra Azzurra, the defending champion, disappointed, but where Calafiori showed himself to the face of Europe. Solid in the air, sharp in his interventions, good in his relaunches, he is not afraid to move up the field with the ball, as on Mattia Zaccagni’s goal against Croatia (1-1).
Riccardo Calafiori is heading to England!
His performances for club and country convinced Arsenal to pay 50 million euros to lure him to north London.Italian international Riccardo Calafiori has joined us from Serie A side Bologna on a long-term contract. The 22-year-old defender was part of the Azzurri’s Euro 2024 squad after a season full of impressive performances at the heart of Bologna’s defence. Riccardo will wear the number 33 shirt and has travelled to the United States to join his new team-mates in Philadelphia as we continue our preparations for the 2024/25 season.“, the Gunners specify on their official website.
With his arrival, Mikel Arteta has a wealth of choice for his rearguard, with William Saliba, Gabriel, Jakub Kiwior, Jurrien Timber and now Riccardo Calafiori. A transfer that nevertheless almost did not happen. Indeed, FC Basel, the club in which the Italian played between 2022 and 2023, had negotiated a resale percentage between 40 and 50% with Bologna last summer. A common ground was finally found to allow Riccardo Calafiori to be officially considered a Gunner.
