Riccardo Calafiori: Arsenal full deal price £42m to signal defender from Bologna | Soccer Information | Sky Sports activities

Arsenal have accomplished the signing of defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna in a deal price £42m.

The 22-year-old, who can play at centre-back or left-back, has signed a five-year contract with the Gunners till 2029 and he additional strengthens a defensive unit that conceded solely 29 targets and saved 18 clear sheets within the Premier League.

Sky Sports activities Information understands one other Premier League membership, in addition to Juventus and Actual Madrid, tried to signal the Italy worldwide this month. There have been bids from different golf equipment within the final two weeks, however Calafiori solely needed a transfer to Arsenal and gave his phrase he would be part of Mikel Arteta’s aspect.

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Arsenal had been understood to be impressed by his need to hitch the membership – a need that was strengthened in conversations with supervisor Arteta and sporting director Edu.

Talking in a press huddle on Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the USA, Calafiori mentioned: “I spoke for nearly two months with the coach and with Edu. They tried to persuade me, however I used to be already actually satisfied to return right here. For me, it’s the greatest mission I can have as a participant.

“There have been different golf equipment, however I do not care anymore, I am right here and I wish to enhance to win trophies… the group is younger and powerful and I like this.

“Now that I am right here, I do know I’ve to go day-by-day, bettering with the coaching squad. After I’m actually match, I am excited to assist the group, I hope.

“I’ve this good feeling. I can not clarify. However for positive, you will see on the pitch that it was the suitable selection.”

When requested if he had been informed if he’ll play at left-back or centre-back, the Italian added: “We did not converse quite a bit concerning the position, I simply wish to play and enhance. It is concerning the group, which necessity we’ve got. I can play in several positions, I do not care actually, I simply wish to play.”

Calafiori turns into Arsenal’s second main summer season signing after the £27m arrival of goalkeeper David Raya.

Calafiori’s consultant Alessandro Lucci, from World Soccer Company, labored with each golf equipment over the previous month to make sure a deal would get accomplished.

Bologna purchased Calafiori from Swiss membership Basel final summer season for €4m (£3.4m), with Basel making 50 per cent of Bologna’s revenue on the deal.

One of the vital highly-rated defenders in Europe final season, Calafiori shone at Euro 2024 regardless of Italy’s early exit in Germany, along with his presence sorely missed via suspension within the then holders’ last-16 exit to Switzerland.

Arteta: We monitored Calafiori for over a 12 months

Forward of Arsenal’s pre-season pleasant towards Liverpool in Philadelphia, Arteta mentioned of his new signing Calafiori: “I am very joyful. It took some time, he is a participant we monitored for over a 12 months. We had been actually brief within the again line final 12 months when it comes to numbers and we demanded a lot from them.

“William Saliba, for instance, performed in each minute of the Premier League and we consider we needed to be extra protected.

“We recognized him as a expertise that may give us talent and qualities which are going to make us higher. We’re signing a participant with big capability nonetheless to develop.

“After I spoke to him one or two occasions and I knew the opposite issues [teams being interested], I wasn’t actually positive if we may do it or not.

“However he was adamant: ‘let me know if you’re prepared, my baggage are prepared and I simply wish to come to Arsenal’. These had been his phrases and when you may have that feeling, somebody that has that willingness to hitch us and make us higher and that dedication, it is actually highly effective and as a membership, we ought to be actually pleased with that.

“He is in a very good place. His English is admittedly good, he already understands what we wish as a result of I defined it to him and he is so excited. Let’s go day-by-day.”

Will he be a left-back or centre-back? “Each positions with the best way we wish to play and the issues we wish to evolve in our sport, he’s going to suit actually into what we wish.

“It will increase the standard and the competitors and it is excellent for the group.”

The place will Calafiori slot in at Arsenal?

The query now’s the place Calafiori will slot in at Arsenal. It can show tough to dislodge Arsenal’s first-choice centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, who’ve featured collectively 79 occasions over the previous two campaigns.

Arsenal additionally had the meanest defence within the Premier League final season, solely conceding 29 targets. But whereas Ben White, Gabriel and Saliba had been mainstays of the backline, the left-back berth is an space for summer season surgical procedure.

None of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu claimed the position persistently final season, whereas Jurrien Timber, who began the earlier marketing campaign in that position, is simply simply again from a severe knee damage.

So is left-back Calafiori’s greatest wager for a right away Arsenal spot, ought to the transfer come up?

Arteta continues to bolster his defence

Arsenal set a membership document for targets scored within the Premier League final season with 91. However it was defensively that they actually excelled. The Gunners solely conceded 29 occasions, 5 fewer than Manchester Metropolis. No aspect received near their tally of 18 clear sheets.

Their excellent defensive efforts had been a fruits of a deliberate technique by Mikel Arteta to construct this Arsenal aspect from again to entrance. Strengthening their foundations has been a precedence and it continues with their deal for Calafiori.

With him included, 18 of Arsenal’s 24 first-team signings beneath Arteta have been both goalkeepers, defenders or defensive midfielders, for charges totalling £488m. It’s greater than twice as a lot as they’ve spent on solely six attacking midfielders or forwards.

In a deal price as much as £42m, Calafiori will grow to be the sixth-most costly signing since Arteta’s appointment, guaranteeing that, of the highest seven, 5 are defensive gamers, led by the £105m Declan Rice, whereas solely two, in Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, are attackers.

Arteta has acknowledged that title wins are constructed on defences and continues to assemble his squad accordingly.

Who else are Arsenal making an attempt to signal this summer season?

Along with Calafiori, David Raya has accomplished a everlasting transfer however attacking additions can’t be dominated out if Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe transfer on as anticipated.

Arsenal’s pre-season fixtures

• July 20: Arsenal 2-0 Leyton Orient
• July 25: Arsenal 1-1 Bournemouth
• July 28: Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
• August 1: Arsenal vs Liverpool – Lincoln Monetary Discipline, Philadelphia, kick-off 12.30am
• August 7: Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen, Emirates Stadium, kick-off 6pm
• August 11: Arsenal vs Lyon, Emirates Stadium, kick-off 2pm

When does the summer season switch window open and shut?

The 2024 summer season switch window formally closes on August 30 at 11pm UK time within the Premier League and 11.30pm in Scotland.

The Premier League has introduced ahead Deadline Day to hyperlink up with the opposite main leagues in Europe. The cut-off dates had been set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.