Arsenal closing in on the signature of Italian defensive sensation Riccardo Calafiori amidst interest from Chelsea.
According to a report from Football Insider, Arsenal could soon reach a full agreement with Bologna for the services of Riccardo Calafiori. The North London club are in advanced talks with the Italian outfit and they seem to be well ahead of the competition in the race.
Calafiori’s sensational rise
Calafiori joined Bologna last summer from FC Basel in a deal worth just £4.2 million. The former AS Roma defender had an exceptional debut season at the club as he was involved in 33 matches and helped them qualify for the Champions League.
He carried that form into Euro 2024 where he was one of the standout performers for Italy before they got knocked out in the round of 16. His work hasn’t gone unnoticed and multiple top clubs are looking to prise him away from Bologna.
While he still has three years left on his contract, the Italian outfit are ready to sanction his departure if their financial demands are met. They are looking to make ten times the money they had invested and have placed a high price tag of £42 million for the 22-year-old.
Chelsea are one of the clubs interested in signing the Italian who is capable enough to feature in the heart of the defence as well as out wide on the left. The Blues want to reinforce their backline and they feel he could be a great signing both for the short and the long run.
Arsenal leading the race for Calafiori
While the Blues are keen on acquiring his services, they are not the ones leading the pursuit. Arsenal are the ones in pole position to sign the Italian international. The Gunners do have a strong defensive base but Mikel Arteta wants more competition for places.
They consider Calafiori to be an ideal fit for their project and are quite impressed by his performances for club and country. Arteta’s team have been in talks with Bologna over a potential deal for some time. They are expected to hold new talks this week as they look to reach a full agreement with the Italian club.
Negotiations between the two clubs are already at an advanced stage despite the fact that Bologna are holding out on their valuation of £42 million. Recent developments suggest Arsenal could soon strike a deal for Calafiori despite interest from rivals Chelsea and other clubs from across Europe.
