Arsenal and other top clubs have been in hot pursuit of Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori, who only enhanced his reputation at Euro 2024 with several game-breaking performances for Italy.
A social media sensation during the Euros, Calafiori was just as beloved within Serie A circles and seen by clubs like Juventus as a dream transfer target in defense for his athleticism and ball-playing abilities.
The best center back in Italian football right now, Calafiori has always been favored as a transfer for Juventus, but the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea have been dreaming of taking him from Italy to the Premier League.
According to a report from Nicolo Schira, Arsenal have now reached an agreement in principal with Riccardo Calafiori on a contract worth 3.5 million euros per season that will take him through the 2028/29 campaign.
Arsenal have been negotiating with Calafiori and Bologna the most out of the Premier League clubs, and while Juventus have the advantage of being Italy’s most storied club and now have his key mentor from Bologna in manager Thiago Motta, Arsenal have their own advantages.
To start with, they have been the better club over the past couple of seasons and have been closer to the Premier League title and even the Champions League title than Juve.
If Arsenal are able to secure a Calafiori transfer, they could start him at left back and move on from former Serie A standout Jakub Kiwior, who could then become a transfer target for Juve and return to a league that suits him better.
Calafiori will cost Arsenal – or any other club interested – 50 million euros, and with an agreement in principle, it looks like the Gunners are a step away from securing the sensational 22-year-old defender and adding to a unit that already includes one of the world’s best young players in William Saliba.
3 Arsenal players who could losing their starting spots in 2024/25
Nobody is talking about the best striker option for Arsenal after Benjamin Sesko’s big decision
The 5 forgotten Arsenal stars of the 2010’s decade you should definitely remember
5 overlooked striker transfer targets for Arsenal in summer 2024
