Arsenal have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna. The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with the Gunners this summer, but negotiations between the club and Bologna were put on hold due to his international commitments at Euro 2024.
And Calafiori then proceeded to enhance his reputation in Germany, one of the few plus points in an otherwise dismal campaign for the Italians.
It followed a season where he was a mainstay for Bologna, making 30 Serie A appearances as the club qualified for the Champions League for the first time in 59 years.
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Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has now claimed that a £33.6million fee has been agreed for the centre-back, who can also play on the left side of defence. That figure could potentially rise to £37.8m due to add-ons.
All that now seemingly needs to be sorted out is an agreement between Bologna and the player's former club Basel. The Swiss club are reportedly entitled to a 50 per cent sell-on payment following Calafiori's move to Italy last August.
Only on Friday, Bologna’s CEO Claudio Fenucci was blunt with journalists who questioned him over transfer talks with Arsenal. Pressed on whether there had been developments, he replied: "No, there is no news."
If a deal is confirmed, the player will become Mikel Arteta's second signing of the transfer window. It follows Brentford keeper David Raya making his loan move permanent.
Where the star will feature remains to be seen, given the lauded centre back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes for the Gunners last season. That notion could well see Calafiori deployed as a left-back, wih Oleksandr Zinchenko having lost form at the tail-end of the 2023/24 campaign.
Califiori went on holiday after Italy's last-16 exit to Switzerland in Germany. Upon his return, he reportedly informed his club of his intentions to join Arsenal, having previously been linked with Chelsea.
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"Please, let me fulfil my dream and let me go to Arsenal. I want to go to Arsenal," he was quoted as saying. He came through the ranks at Roma, but made just 10 league appearances in three seasons before his switch to Basel in 2022.
And it was in the Swiss Super League where he excelled, prompting Bologna to come in for him. Calafiori signed a four-year deal with the club, that was set to run until 2027.
