A player who has been dubbed “one of the best” in his league now feels that joining Arsenal this summer would be the best option for him because of their style of play.
Riccardo Calafiori joins Arsenal in exchange for Arteta
Following weeks of talks, the Gunners have finally finalized the signing of Bologna’s Riccardo Calafiori.
Calafiori, whose contract with Bologna is worth £34 million plus an additional £4 million in add-ons and a sell-on clause, was announced by Fabrizio Romano.
The Serie A team and FC Basel have also been in negotiations regarding the conditions of the Swiss team’s 50% sell-on for Calafiori; however, it now seems that the 22-year-old will be joining Mikel Arteta.
Given that Calafiori will enter and essentially take Jakub Kiwior’s place in the first team, this has cast doubt on Kiwior’s future. The Italy international defender, like Kiwior, is a versatile player who can play both left and center back. Sporting director Edu Gaspar secured a highly-regarded upgrade for the player.
https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1815990300763938993
Calafiori, who assisted Bologna in making it into the Champions League the previous season, was a standout performer for Italy at Euro 2024 and was sorely missed due to suspension when the Azzurri lost to Switzerland in the Round of 16.
Now that the defensive ace in the middle has been signed, the focus is on how Edu and the hiring team can support Arteta going forward in anticipation of a possible third consecutive Premier League title fight with Man City.
Before the August 30 deadline, Arsenal wants to add a new central midfield player, and Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino is drawing their interest after an outstanding Euro 2024 campaign.
The 28-year-old, who is currently in the last year of his Sociedad contract, is expected to leave the La Liga team and could be available for as little as £25 million.
Mikel Merino sees Arsenal as the ideal place to join.
An intriguing update on their pursuit of the former Newcastle player has been provided by Spanish news outlet Noticias De Gipuzkoa.
They report that Merino, who believes Arsenal would be a great fit for him, is eager to join after Arteta specifically asked for him to sign at London Colney. Despite interest from rivals Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona, the Spaniard believes that Arsenal is his best option for a landing place.
This has led to Arteta’s team being referred to as the “best-placed” team in the competition to sign Merino. Since leaving Newcastle, the midfielder has been a star for Sociedad for a number of years. In 45 appearances last season, he scored eight goals and added five assists across all competitions.
Merino is a player to watch; recruitment and performance analyst Marcus Bring Has even referred to him as “one of the best” in La Liga.
