Arsenal and Bologna have reached an agreement for Riccardo Calafiori, noted football journalist Fabrizio Romano claimed on Saturday. He had earlier said that the Premier League side had agreed personal terms with the Italian defender and the deal could see him playing at the Emirates until June 2029.
"Arsenal and Bologna have reached an agreement for Riccardo Calafiori... Understand fee is €40m plus €5m add-ons and sell-on clause. Final step needed: Basel and Bologna to agree 50% sell-on payment terms," Romano's post on X (formerly Twitter) said.
A breakout star of Euro 2024, the 22-year-old Italian was reportedly Mikel Arteta’s top defensive target this summer. The versatile Riccardo Calafiori can not just play as a centre-half but can also dispense the duties of a left-back as well. Here are five things you need to know about the young defender who is expected to join forces with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes at the heart of the Arsenal defence.
1. Riccardo Calafiori joined AS Roma at the age of eight and spent a decade at the capital. He made 18 first-team appearances before joining Swiss club Basel in 2022. He spent one year at Basel, sharpening his skills as a left-back or left wing-back.
2. He returned to Serie A in 2023 to join Bologna where head coach Thiago Motta once again handed him central defensive responsibilities.
3. The two clubs agreed to the $49 million transfer fee that includes $5.4 million in add-ons and a sell-on clause. What remains to be done is getting Basel and Bologna to agree to the 50 per cent sell-on payment terms before Calafiori can officially become a player on English soil.
4. After returning from holidays, the defender personally spoke with the Bologna board. Preparing for the UEFA Champions League, Bologna wanted to keep him but Calafiori told the board that he want to leave and join Arsenal. "Let me go and let me fulfil my dream," he reportedly told the club authorities.
5. Calafiori rejected Chelsea to clear his path to join Arsenal, reports said. He instantly said 'No' to Chelsea as he was hell-bent on joining the other London club. Tottenham, West Ham and Liverpool were also intially interested in him, the reports added.