Serie A club Bologna will not entertain any offers for 21-year-old Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori, handing a blow to Tottenham Hotspur.
According to Fabrizio Romano on Give Me Sport, Riccardo Calafiori is the subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur. Several other clubs are also keen on signing the 21-year-old Bologna centre-back. But the Serie A club will not entertain any offers for the young defender in the January transfer window.
Who is Riccardo Calafiori?
Riccardo Calafiori is one of the best young defenders in Serie A. A native of Rome, he graduated from the AS Roma academy and made his first-team debut as an 18-year-old in August 2020. However, the versatile Italian defender could not establish a foothold in the senior squad at Stadio Olimpico and rose to prominence during his stint with FC Basel.
His excellent campaign in the 2022/23 season captured the attention of Serie A clubs before Bologna secured his services in the summer transfer window. The 21-year-old has been a mainstay at the back for the Rossoblu, turning out 25 times thus far this season while chipping in with one assist.
The youngster’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs in Italy and abroad. Recent reports have linked Riccardo Calafiori with Tottenham Hotspur. And those outlets suggested the North London club might launch a late move for the player.
Tottenham Want Riccardo Calafiori
Tottenham’s interest in Calafiori is surprising, considering they signed Radu Dragusin from Genoa earlier this month. The Romanian defender’s arrival has bolstered the North London club’s defensive unit considerably. So, it is difficult to see how Tottenham can hand the Bologna centre-back regular game time.
But Riccardo Calafiori is a viable long-term target for Tottenham due to his versatility. With Eric Dier no longer at the club and Japhet Tanganga not featuring in Ange Postecoglou’s plans, Tottenham will need a new centre-back. However, a January move is off the cards, with Bologna not interested in a winter sale.
So, Tottenham will have to wait until the summer transfer window to secure Calafiori’s services. It will be interesting to see if the competition for his signature increases in the coming months, with the 21-year-old Italian defender gaining in popularity.
