Arsenal have confirmed the signing of 22-year-old Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori.
The Bologna star joins the Gunners ahead of the upcoming 2024/25 campaign and is expected to become a vital part of Mikel Arteta’s backline as the club aim to end their 20-year wait for Premier League silverware.
The Gunners have also confirmed the versatile left-footed defender will wear the number 33 shirt at the Emirates Stadium.
Calafiori enjoyed an excellent campaign in Serie A, helping Bologna qualify for the Champions League, but gained real attention after impressing on the international stage with Italy at Euro 2024.
Reports revealed Arsenal agreed a deal with the Italian side to sign Calafiori for a fee of €40m, with €5m in add-ons. Negotiations went back-and-forth with Bologna keen to make a profit on their star defender.
Talks were made more difficult as former club Basel also had a 50% sell-on clause, meaning profit was forced to be split between the two sides.
Calafiori is believed to have signed a five-year deal with the Gunners and is set to join an impressive list of Arsenal defenders. With William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes already established as the team’s first-choice centre-back partnership, Calafiori’s ability to play in the middle or at left-back will align with Arteta’s preference to use inverted full-backs.
The talented player has also shown an ability to step into midfield, advancing with the ball to open up pockets of space.
Manager Mikel 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.”
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