Official Now ✅: Medical date Fixed as Arsenal reached final agreement in signing £50 million superstar. Player will wear iconic shirt number, medical today as announcement coming.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are on the brink of signing Bologna’s defensive star, Riccardo Calafiori, with the deal expected to be finalized next week.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal held a fresh round of talks with Bologna today as they aim to wrap up the transfer of Riccardo Calafiori. The Gunners have already reached agreements with both the player and the Italian club. The transfer should be completed following all formal steps next week.

Calafiori has seen a remarkable rise over the past year. The AS Roma academy graduate had an outstanding debut season with Bologna upon returning to Serie A. He participated in 33 matches and contributed to seven goals.

Due to his consistent performances, Calafiori was included in Italy’s squad for Euro 2024. Despite the Azzurri’s underwhelming performance, Calafiori made a strong impression with his exceptional defensive play.

His displays attracted interest from several top European clubs. After returning from holiday, the 22-year-old defender expressed to the Bologna board his desire to move to a bigger club. Although initial reports indicated he preferred to stay in Italy, Calafiori is now set to join Premier League giants Arsenal.

Arsenal have been diligently working to secure Calafiori’s services. They had already agreed on personal terms with the player for a five-year deal and recently struck a deal with Bologna. The North London club has agreed to pay €40 million plus an additional €5 million in add-ons for the transfer.

Bologna has secured a sell-on clause for Calafiori, who still has three years remaining on his contract with them. While the main terms are agreed upon, a few final details need to be sorted out. According to Romano, both clubs held another round of talks to finalize the deal.

The Gunners are awaiting an agreement between Bologna and Calafiori’s former club FC Basel regarding the sell-on clause payment structure. The player’s medical and final formalities are expected to be completed next week, after which he will officially sign with Arsenal.