Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna on Monday with the Gunners boss Mikel Arteta full of praise for the newest member of his squad.
The North London club have acquired the Italy international as part of a £42m deal with the Serie A side with the 22-year-old penning a five-year contract at the Premier League club until 2029.
The signing of Calafiori will strengthen the Arsenal defence further ahead of the 2024/25 campaign and his versatility will be key for Arteta throughout the season. The Italian is primarily a centre-back but can also feature in the left-back role, which is where he will likely play.
The former Bologna star is coming off the back of a very impressive season with the Italian club as the 22-year-old featured in 30 Serie A matches, scoring two goals and assisting a further five as the Rossoblu secured qualification for this season’s Champions League.
This was followed by some impressive displays at Euro 2024 for Italy and his performances in Germany may have been the factor that prompted Arsenal to make an official move for the player.
One man who is very excited to have got the Calafiori deal over the line is his new manager and Arteta was full of praise for the player upon the announcement of his arrival.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta labels Riccardo Calafiori a “big personality”
Speaking about the Calafiori as part of Arsenal’s official announcement of the defender, Arteta was full of praise for the 22-year-old talent.
“We welcome Riccardo and his family to Arsenal. He is a great signing and gives us huge strength to reinforce our defence,” the Gunners manager told Arsenal’s media team.
“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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