Riccardo Calafiori: Arsenal complete deal worth £42m to sign defender from Bologna

Arsenal have completed the signing of defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna in a deal worth £42m.

The 22-year-old, who can play at centre-back or left-back, has signed a five-year contract with the Gunners until 2029 and he further strengthens a defensive unit that conceded only 29 goals and kept 18 clean sheets in the Premier League.

Sky Sports News understands another Premier League club, as well as Juventus and Real Madrid, tried to sign the Italy international this month. There were bids from other clubs in the last two weeks, but Calafiori only wanted a move to Arsenal and gave his word he would join Mikel Arteta’s side.

Arsenal were understood to be impressed by his desire to join the club – a desire that was strengthened in conversations with manager Arteta and sporting director Edu.

Calafiori becomes Arsenal’s second major summer signing after the £27m arrival of goalkeeper David Raya.

Calafiori’s representative Alessandro Lucci, from World Soccer Agency, worked with both clubs over the past month to ensure a deal would get done.

Bologna bought Calafiori from Swiss club Basel last summer for €4m (£3.4m), with Basel making 50 per cent of Bologna’s profit on the deal.

One of the most highly-rated defenders in Europe last season, Calafiori shone at Euro 2024 despite Italy’s early exit in Germany, with his presence sorely missed through suspension in the then holders’ last-16 exit to Switzerland.

‘A big personality and character’

Upon signing Calafiori, Arsenal boss Arteta said: “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 big personality and character, with specific skills which will make us stronger as we push to win major trophies. He has already shown great development in recent seasons with his performances for both Bologna and Italy, with his progression and development in the past year being really impressive.

“We’re looking forward to working with Riccardo, integrating him into the squad, and supporting him in the years to come.”

Where will Calafiori fit in at Arsenal?

The question now is where Calafiori will fit in at Arsenal. It will prove difficult to dislodge Arsenal’s first-choice centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, who have featured together 79 times over the past two campaigns.

Arsenal also had the meanest defence in the Premier League last season, only conceding 29 goals. Yet while Ben White, Gabriel and Saliba were mainstays of the backline, the left-back berth is an area for summer surgery.

None of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu claimed the role consistently last season, while Jurrien Timber, who started the previous campaign in that role, is only just back from a serious knee injury.

So is left-back Calafiori’s best bet for an immediate Arsenal spot, should the move arise?

Arteta continues to bolster his defence

Arsenal set a club record for goals scored in the Premier League last season with 91. But it was defensively that they really excelled. The Gunners only conceded 29 times, five fewer than Manchester City. No side got close to their tally of 18 clean sheets.

Their outstanding defensive efforts were a culmination of a deliberate strategy by Mikel Arteta to build this Arsenal side from back to front. Strengthening their foundations has been a priority and it continues with their deal for Calafiori.

With him included, 18 of Arsenal’s 24 first-team signings under Arteta have been either goalkeepers, defenders or defensive midfielders, for fees totalling £488m. It is more than twice as much as they have spent on only six attacking midfielders or forwards.

In a deal worth up to £42m, Calafiori will become the sixth-most expensive signing since Arteta’s appointment, ensuring that, of the top seven, five are defensive players, led by the £105m Declan Rice, while only two, in Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, are attackers.

Arteta has acknowledged that title wins are built on defences and continues to construct his squad accordingly.

Who else are Arsenal trying to sign this summer?

In addition to Calafiori, David Raya has completed a permanent move but attacking additions cannot be ruled out if Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe move on as expected.

Arsenal looking at midfield and forward options | ‘Transfer business going to plan’

The latest on Arsenal’s transfer window from Sky Sports News’ Melissa Reddy in LA:

“Edu and Mikel Arteta are assessing the market for midfield and forward options. But they are very aware that the pool of players that can elevate their level is shallow.

“So, they are prepared to be patient and work a little more surgically in the market.

“In terms of outgoings, the feeling is Emile Smith Rowe could seal what would be a club record transfer for Fulham this week. Just the final bits of an agreement need to be settled on.

“Marseille still have not got anywhere close to the valuation for Eddie Nketiah, and Reiss Nelson, he has several suitors, including Leicester. But there hasn’t been a significant proposal received yet.

“In general, it’s very much going according to the script for Arsenal.”

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 Financial Field, 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 transfer window open and close?

The 2024 summer transfer window officially closes on August 30 at 11pm UK time in the Premier League and 11.30pm in Scotland.

The Premier League has brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.

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