-
Arsenal reach full agreement to sign Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna in £42m deal with Italy star expected to join Gunners’ U.S tour
Arsenal have “all agreements in place” to sign Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, with a £42 million ($55m) deal now close to completion.
According to The Athletic, everything is in place for the 22-year-old to move to the Gunners, with other reports suggesting a fee of £42 million ($54.3m) has already been agreed. The report adds he must still undergo medical checks, but if all those hurdles are overcome, the centre-back will link up with Mikel Arteta’s men for their pre-season tour in the United States.
Calafiori has become one of the best young centre-backs in Europe thanks to his form for Bologna and Italy. The defender, who can also play at left-back, would be Arsenal’s second signing of the summer after goalkeeper David Raya joined permanently following a season-long loan last term. This move signals Arsenal’s intent to challenge for their first Premier League title since 2004.
The report adds that Calafiori’s former side, FC Basel, are entitled to a sell-on clause in the region of 40-50 percent, which they negotiated following his move to Bologna in 2023. The 6ft 2in defender was also linked with Premier League rivals Liverpool but is set to join Arsenal.
When Calafiori, who began his career at Roma and worked under Jose Mourinho for a time, officially joins the Gunners, he could feature in their pre-season schedule. This includes games against Manchester United and Liverpool on July 27 and 31, respectively.