🚨🔴BREAKING NEWS: Confirmed By Fabrizio Romano, DONE DEAL, Arsenal Have Seen Their First Official Offer Of €47m + Bonuses Accepted By Bologna For Riccardo Calafiori. It’s Been No Secret That Signing An Additional Defender During The Summer Transfer Window Was One Of Arsenal’s Major Priorities. Arsenal Get Green Light For Riccardo Calafiori Signing ◾️ €47m + Bonuses! ◾️Personal Terms Already Agreed! ◾️ Bologna Accept The Offer! 5yrs Deal. HERE WE GO!!
Arsenal are on the verge of meeting Bologna’s asking price for their summer transfer target, Riccardo Calafiori. According to Corriere dello Sport, Arsenal have submitted a €47 million bid for the Bologna defender, just €3 million short of the €50 million asking price. With such a small gap, an agreement is expected soon.
FootballTransfers reported that Arsenal began discussions with Bologna about a potential deal for Calafiori after Jorginho recommended his Italy teammate to manager Mikel Arteta. Jorginho personally advised Arteta to seriously consider signing the Bologna defender. Bologna are asking for €50 million, and Arsenal have nearly matched that amount.
Calafiori is attracting interest from several top clubs, including Real Madrid, Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen, and Juventus. Juventus had been the frontrunners and had agreed on personal terms with Calafiori, who preferred a move to the Bianconeri. However, Bologna is hesitant to sell to their Serie A rivals, and Juventus is struggling to meet the €50 million price tag, which is not an issue for Arsenal.
Bologna’s transfer chief, Giovanni Sartori, indicated that Calafiori is more likely to move to the Premier League than to Juventus. Sartori mentioned that while Bologna wants to keep Calafiori, they would consider significant offers from abroad. Calafiori’s former club, Basel, is set to receive a 40-50% sell-on fee when the defender is sold.
Calafiori emerged as one of the breakout stars of the 2023-24 Serie A season, playing a crucial role in Bologna’s surprising qualification for the Champions League. The 22-year-old, who was converted from a left back to a center back by former Bologna manager Thiago Motta (now Juventus boss), has demonstrated qualities of a top-class defender. He excels in pressing, reading the game, and using the ball effectively, often joining the play in midfield. Aggressive and strong in the air, Calafiori also shone at Euro 2024, notably assisting Mattia Zaccagni’s dramatic 98th-minute equalizer for Italy against Croatia.
Calafiori’s potential move to Arsenal marks a significant step in his career, with the Gunners poised to add a promising talent to their squad.
