Ricardo Calafiori Arsenal future ‘SHIRT NUMBER’ revealed as agent and Bologna’s director gives greenlight to finalize €50m transfer tomorrow

Arsenal are aggressively pursuing a deal to sign Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori before any other clubs can make a move, reportedly offering him a wage of £65,000 per week to secure his signature ahead of their rivals.

Historically, Arsenal has been cautious in the center-back market, signing only Gabriel and William Saliba in recent years, while Premier League rivals have acquired talents like Josko Gvardiol, Wesley Fofana, Micky van de Ven, and Lisandro Martinez. However, this approach may change soon as Arsenal is reportedly leading the race to sign Calafiori. According to TuttoBologna, they have laid out their personal terms for the former Roma star to entice him to join their squad as they aim to win their first top-flight title in 21 years.

Arsenal has offered Riccardo Calafiori improved terms to join the club
The defender could soon be heading to North London. Reports suggest Arsenal is making significant progress in their pursuit of Calafiori, with the club pushing hard to finalize the deal. Although they have not yet reached an agreement with Bologna on the transfer fee, Arsenal’s willingness to meet the demands of the deal has given them a substantial advantage over other interested clubs, including Chelsea and Juventus. Renowned transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently described Calafiori as ‘one of the best in the world’.

Arsenal is offering Calafiori €4 million per year, equivalent to £65,000 per week, while Bologna is seeking a fee of around £43 million for their star defender. Despite this, Bologna may offer Calafiori a new deal with a significant wage increase to keep him, especially since the club has qualified for the Champions League.

Calafiori would be the perfect signing for Arsenal
The Gunners, known for their attractive, passing football, would greatly benefit from Calafiori’s addition. His transfer value is expected to rise, given his status as one of Italy’s best defenders, particularly after his performances at EURO 2024. Despite only making two appearances for Italy in the warm-up games before the tournament in Germany, Calafiori impressed with his committed defending, confidence in bringing the ball out, and overall composure as a ball-playing defender.

While he did score an unfortunate own goal against Spain, he redeemed himself with a superb assist for Mattia Zaccagni in Italy’s last-gasp 1-1 draw against Croatia, which helped them qualify for the knockout stages. This glimpse of world-class quality is something that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will highly value at the Emirates Stadium.

Currently, William Saliba and Gabriel are Arsenal’s first-choice center-backs, with Jakub Kiwior as the only decent backup. Signing Calafiori would be an inspired move for the future, as he can also fill in at left-back if Oleksandr Zinchenko’s form drops. This strategic acquisition would significantly strengthen Arsenal’s defensive lineup, enhancing their chances in both domestic and international competitions.