Arsenal given Riccardo Calafiori expert transfer verdict as major myth busted

Arsenal are growing in confidence of strengthening their defence with the signing of Bologna and Italy centre-back Riccardo Calafiori.

football.london understands that the Gunners are interested in the 22-year-old after his impressive season at club-level and Euro 2024. The player is reportedly keen on the move to the Emirates Stadium, although Arsenal do face competition from Chelsea.

Viewed as the right profile for Mikel Arteta’s team, Calafiori’s versatility means he can play at left-back and centre-back. There have been question marks over his signing due to the need for reinforcements in other positions and the idea of spending close to £50m on a player not many people had heard off before this summer.

However, Italian football expert Richard Hall has been speaking to football.london to help analyse the centre-back and why the myths about his trajectory are unfair.

Despite reports that Calafiori has handed the ‘green light’ to complete a move to Arsenal, Hall has explained why that doesn’t necessarily mean a deal is close to being completed. “Bologna are in the Champions League so they’ll have more money. They’re not poor but they’re not seen as rich as some of the English clubs or top level Italian clubs,” he explained.

“They have a project going on, which is extremely good, and you’ve got to look at that. They’ve got Vincenzo Italiano in as head coach, who is very well-rated in Italy. At the moment, Bologna knew that Euro 2024 would increase Calafiori’s value and they’re open to discussions but the offer has to be tempting. Juventus are also really in there.

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“To bring him to England would be €50m (£42m), at least, because Bologna have to give Basel 40% of the sale. He’s got room for growth but he isn’t, yet, at an elite level.”

Many, perhaps, were not aware of Calafiori’s quality before this summer’s tournament. Bologna’s rise from ninth to fifth in Serie A last season hasn’t gone unnoticed with head coach Thiago Motta being snapped up by Juventus and Joshua Zirzkee the subject of concrete interest from the Premier League.

The defender, however, has been on the first-team scene since 2020 when he broke into the Roma team under Paulo Fonseca. The following season saw him spend a season on loan at Genoa before he sealed a permanent move to Swiss side FC Basel.

“No, he’s not a Euro 2024 signing, he’s done it on his own merit. Bologna are in the Champions League and Juventus want him off the back of that. That is big time,” Hall said of the Euro 2024 hype myth.

“If you have not watched him, I understand the label. If a player came onto the scene from a tournament, some of them work and some don’t. He’s been brilliant for Bologna.

“You can look at him from Euro 2024 and think he’s some sort of defensive dynamo. He’s seen as a secret that has got out in Italy. He made his professional debut in 2020 and has just improved. Like a lot of Italian players, he has a huge amount of maturity and resilience. In 2022, he was loaned to Genoa and gained experience in Serie A, showing great tactical skill before moving to Basel that summer.

“The Swiss league isn’t an easy league, believe it not, and that really helped him develop himself as a left wing-back and then at centre-back. He’s very defensive but very offensive. He can win the ball and very good at interception, but he’s also very good at counter-attacks so would fit Arsenal in that way.”

At first glance, Calafiori has been compared to Italy legend Alessandro Nesta due to their slick, long hair. But Hall has pointed to comparisons to Italy teammate Alessandro Bastoni.

“If you go on the internet, people are talking about Alessandro Nesta. Yes he looks like a throwback to the early 2000s but he’s very much like Bastoni at a very early age,” he said. “Bastoni’s passing range is a lot better but offensively, the running of Calafiori can be better. He’s got a lot of work to do. I think he can develop as well as Bastoni so there’s potential.”

So, how does he fit into the current Arsenal team and what can fans expect if he does become the Gunners’ second signing of the summer? He played as the left centre-back for Bologna and Italy in a back three, a system that Arteta doesn’t deploy, but his ability to keep the ball and assist with possession build-up means he can suit the inverted full-back role rather well.

“He can play out on the left. His preferred position is the left of a back three but I do think he can fit into a centre-back position in a back four,” Hall continued. “For me, I think he may start out at left-back for Arsenal and alternate between the two positions. He played quite central at the Euros but I don’t see why he can’t fit into positions.

“His strengths are his pace and ability to contribute to attacking play. He’s also young and tactically astute. He’s full of determination and has played in a team off his own merit. Weaknesses, it’s that injury. We never know if that’s going to reoccur.”