On Monday, July 29, Arsenal officially unveiled Riccardo Calafiori as their latest signing. The 22-year-old Italy international has joined the club from Serie A side Bologna for a reported €50 million ($54.17 million) fee, inclusive of add-ons. Calafiori has signed a five-year deal with the Gunners.
Before Calafiori, Arsenal had only signed David Raya, who had made his loan move permanent for a €32 million ($34.67 million) fee.
Who Is Arsenal Newboy Riccardo Calafiori?
Story So Far
Concluding weeks of negotiations, Calafiori has officially become an Arsenal player, and we believe fans have every right to feel excited about their newest player.
Calafiori began his professional career at AS Roma. After coming through the youth system, Calafiori joined the first team in September 2020, aged 18. However, his development derailed due to a serious knee injury, and he could not win back his place at Roma. After a loan spell at Genoa, Calafiori left permanently for FC Basel in August 2022.
In his only season at Basel, Calafiori played in 38 games in all competitions, scoring once and providing three assists. The following summer, Bologna came looking for the versatile defender and lapped him up for €24.5 million ($26.55 million).
In his debut season, Calafiori emerged as a leading figure at the back, delivering remarkable performances on cue. He also proved to be a menace in the opposition box and ended the season with two goals and five assists in 30 games. Calafiori’s heroics helped Bologna finish fifth in the Serie A rankings and qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 60 years.
Thanks to his performances for Bologna, Calafiori got an opportunity to represent Italy in the UEFA EURO 2024. The defender performed admirably, claiming an assist in four games, before the Azzurri exited the competition in the Round of 16.
Playing Style
Calafiori is a versatile defender, capable of playing both as a center-back and a left-back. In fact, he strictly played as a left-back at AS Roma before thriving as a left-center-back for Bologna.
He has an abundance of pace, loves to shoot, and has an eye for playing the final pass. With five assists to his name, Calafiori finished as the joint-most creative center-back in the 2023-24 season.
Calafiori is brilliant with the ball at his feet and has a penchant for making runs down the middle. By drawing defenders toward him, the defender opens up space for his teammates to run into. He also loves to press high up the pitch and has the speed to drop down rapidly during opposition counter-attacks.
Due to his playing style, Calafiori has been compared to Manchester City defender John Stones. About the comparisons, the Italian said (via ESPN):
“Stones is my reference. His style of play is closest to mine. It’s not off-the-cuff when I go into midfield. It’s following the guidelines of the coach. He saw me in this role. I’ve learned oceans off him.”
What Has Mikel Arteta Said About Riccardo Calafiori?
Arteta is ecstatic to finally have Calafiori in his ranks and is expecting great things for him. At the No. 33’s unveiling ceremony, Arteta said (via Arsenal.com):
“Riccardo is a big personality and character, with specific skills which will make us stronger as we push to win major trophies. He has already shown great development in recent seasons with his performances for both Bologna and Italy, with his progression and development in the past year being really impressive.
“We’re looking forward to working with Riccardo, integrating him into the squad, and supporting him in the years to come.”
Calafiori has traveled to the US to join his teammates for Arsenal’s pre-season tour. It will be interesting to see if Arteta hands him his debut in the friendly clash with Liverpool on July 30.
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