By Arsenal has reached a preliminary agreement with Bologna to sign Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori for approximately £42 million (€50 million). Calafiori, who can play both as a centre-back and left-back, is expected to undergo a medical examination before officially joining the Gunners on a long-term contract.
If the transfer is finalized in time, Calafiori could join Arsenal’s pre-season training camp in the United States. Despite interest from another Premier League club, Juventus, and Real Madrid, Calafiori was determined to move to Arsenal, with his representative Alessandro Lucci facilitating the deal over the past month.
Bologna acquired Calafiori from Swiss club Basel last summer for €4 million (£3.4 million), with Basel set to receive 50% of Bologna’s profit from this transfer.
Calafiori’s addition is part of Mikel Arteta’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Arsenal’s defense, which was the best in the Premier League last season, conceding only 29 goals. While the centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes is well-established, the left-back position remains an area needing reinforcement.
Arteta has prioritized building a strong defensive foundation, with 18 of Arsenal’s 24 first-team signings under his tenure being goalkeepers, defenders, or defensive midfielders. Calafiori’s signing will be one of the most expensive defensive acquisitions, highlighting Arteta’s strategy of constructing a title-winning team from the back.
