Arsenal must deal with Riccardo Calafiori, and Mikel Arteta is considering a £43 million transfer.
Latest Arsenal transfer news with Mikel Arteta likely to be facing a huge dilemma if Riccardo Calafiori joins the Gunners
It appears that Arsenal will complete their second summer transfer, bringing in Riccardo Calafiori. After a stellar loan from Brentford last season, David Raya joined the Gunners permanently earlier this week when the club decided to use the £27 million buyout option included in the contract.
For the past few months, football.london has stated that Arsenal has made the recruitment of a midfield player a top priority. Nonetheless, given that other Premier League teams are interested in Calafiori, it appears that Arsenal is focused on winning the transfer battle.
Although the 21-year-old has also been linked to Real Madrid and Juventus, a transfer to England is imminent. Arsenal and Bologna are presently negotiating a transfer fee; Bologna is reportedly seeking for €53 million (£45 million), and Calafiori has already given the go-ahead for the deal.
It is understandable that the Gunners want to finalize the trade as soon as possible before any other potential suitors show interest after an outstanding nine months. After a stellar Serie A season and three outstanding performances with Italy at Euro 2024, his reputation has grown considerably.
Unexpectedly, Calafiori also contributed to seven goals in the 2023–24 season, demonstrating his skill in the offensive third. Getting that kind of layer at that price in this market seems like a dream signing, but there is something that both sides need to be aware of.
If the adaptable defender signs, he will probably have a difficult first few months because William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes’ connection seems to be unbreakable. Ben White will likely start on the other flank for Jurrien Timber as left-back at the beginning of the next campaign.
As a result, Calafiori will have a difficult time cracking the starting lineup, thus it will be crucial that Arteta clearly communicates to him his position in the team. Calafiori will probably still receive a lot of playing time, though, as Arteta is taking Pep Guardiola’s lead and having strong alternatives at every position.
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