Arsenal have accomplished the signing of defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna in a deal price £42m.
The 22-year-old, who can play at centre-back or left-back, has signed a five-year contract with the Gunners till 2029 and he additional strengthens a defensive unit that conceded solely 29 targets and saved 18 clear sheets within the Premier League.
Sky Sports activities Information understands one other Premier League membership, in addition to Juventus and Actual Madrid, tried to signal the Italy worldwide this month. There have been bids from different golf equipment within the final two weeks, however Calafiori solely needed a transfer to Arsenal and gave his phrase he would be part of Mikel Arteta’s facet.
Arsenal had been understood to be impressed by his want to hitch the membership – a want that was strengthened in conversations with supervisor Arteta and sporting director Edu.
Calafiori turns into Arsenal’s second main summer season signing after the £27m arrival of goalkeeper David Raya.
Calafiori’s consultant Alessandro Lucci, from World Soccer Company, labored with each golf equipment over the previous month to make sure a deal would get achieved.
Bologna purchased Calafiori from Swiss membership Basel final summer season for €4m (£3.4m), with Basel making 50 per cent of Bologna’s revenue on the deal.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Talking on the Switch Speak Podcast, Sam Tighe explains why Riccardo Calafiori makes excellent sense for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal
Probably the most highly-rated defenders in Europe final season, Calafiori shone at Euro 2024 regardless of Italy’s early exit in Germany, together with his presence sorely missed via suspension within the then holders’ last-16 exit to Switzerland.
‘A giant persona and character’
Upon signing Calafiori, Arsenal boss Arteta stated: “We welcome Riccardo and his family to Arsenal. He is a great signing and gives us huge strength to reinforce our defence.
“Riccardo is a giant persona and character, with particular expertise which can make us stronger as we push to win main trophies. He has already proven nice growth in latest seasons together with his performances for each Bologna and Italy, together with his development and growth previously yr being actually spectacular.
“We’re looking forward to working with Riccardo, integrating him into the squad, and supporting him in the years to come.”
The place will Calafiori slot in at Arsenal?
The query now could be the place Calafiori will slot in at Arsenal. It should show troublesome to dislodge Arsenal’s first-choice centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, who’ve featured collectively 79 occasions over the previous two campaigns.
Arsenal additionally had the meanest defence within the Premier League final season, solely conceding 29 targets. But whereas Ben White, Gabriel and Saliba had been mainstays of the backline, the left-back berth is an space for summer season surgical procedure.
None of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu claimed the position persistently final season, whereas Jurrien Timber, who began the earlier marketing campaign in that position, is barely simply again from a critical knee harm.
So is left-back Calafiori’s greatest guess for a right away Arsenal spot, ought to the transfer come up?
Arteta continues to bolster his defence
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Sam Tighe tells Dharmesh Sheth on the Switch Speak podcast why Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta is so eager to signal Bologna defender Calafiori
Arsenal set a membership report for targets scored within the Premier League final season with 91. Nevertheless it was defensively that they actually excelled. The Gunners solely conceded 29 occasions, 5 fewer than Manchester Metropolis. No facet acquired near their tally of 18 clear sheets.
Their excellent defensive efforts had been a fruits of a deliberate technique by Mikel Arteta to construct this Arsenal facet from again to entrance. Strengthening their foundations has been a precedence and it continues with their deal for Calafiori.
With him included, 18 of Arsenal’s 24 first-team signings beneath Arteta have been both goalkeepers, defenders or defensive midfielders, for charges totalling £488m. It’s greater than twice as a lot as they’ve spent on solely six attacking midfielders or forwards.
In a deal price as much as £42m, Calafiori will turn out to be the sixth-most costly signing since Arteta’s appointment, making certain that, of the highest seven, 5 are defensive gamers, led by the £105m Declan Rice, whereas solely two, in Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, are attackers.
Arteta has acknowledged that title wins are constructed on defences and continues to assemble his squad accordingly.
Who else are Arsenal making an attempt to signal this summer season?
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Sky Sports activities’ Melissa Reddy explains the place Arsenal are nonetheless seeking to strengthen on this summer season switch window and which gamers might nonetheless depart.
Along with Calafiori, David Raya has accomplished a everlasting transfer however attacking additions can’t be dominated out if Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe transfer on as anticipated.
Arsenal’s pre-season fixtures
- July 20: Arsenal 2-0 Leyton Orient
- July 25: Arsenal 1-1 Bournemouth
- July 28: Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
- August 1: Arsenal vs Liverpool – Lincoln Monetary Subject, Philadelphia, kick-off 12.30am
- August 7: Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen, Emirates Stadium, kick-off 6pm
- August 11: Arsenal vs Lyon, Emirates Stadium, kick-off 2pm
When does the summer season switch window open and shut?
The 2024 summer season switch window formally closes on August 30 at 11pm UK time within the Premier League and 11.30pm in Scotland.
The Premier League has introduced ahead Deadline Day to hyperlink up with the opposite main leagues in Europe. The time limits had been set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
