Who is Riccardo Calafiori? Italy's Euro 2024 sensation wanted by Chelsea & Juventus

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 16 Jun 2024 09:55 BST
• 5 min read

Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori emerged in the 2023-24 season as one of the best centre backs in Serie A.

The Italian played a key role in Bologna’s fairytale season before starring at Euro 2024 for Italy.

He has attracted the interest of Juventus, Chelsea and Tottenham in the process.

So what do we know about Calafiori?

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What club does Riccardo Calafiori play for?

Calafiori plays for Bologna in the Italian Serie A.

What position does Riccardo Calafiori play in?

Calafiori is a left-sided centre back, a position he was converted to in the 2023-24 season from his natural left back role.

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How good is Riccardo Calafiori?

Riccardo Calafiori was one of the best centre-backs in the 2023-24 Serie A season.

Deployed as the left centre-back in Thiago Motta’’s 4-2-3-1 system, Calafiori was a key player for a Bologna team who miraculously qualified for the 2024-25 Champions League.

It is an incredible achievement for a provincial side who had not been in Europe (discounting the minor Intertoto Cup) this century.

A big reason for Bologna’s cinderella story was their mean defence led by Calafiori that conceded just 32 goals in 38 games. This made Bologna the third best defence in Serie A.

Born in Rome, Calafiori grew up in the Roma youth system as a highly rated left back and graduated through the ranks before making his senior debut in 2020.

However, he failed to make the grade at Roma and was loaned first to Genoa before being sold to Basel in Switzerland in 2022.

Bologna brought him back to Italy in the summer of 2023 and that is where his career really took off under Thiago Motta.

Motta, who is now one of the most admired young managers in European football and has taken over at Juventus, converted Calafiori from his natural left back role into a left sided centre back.

Calafiori has been a revelation in the role.

A modern centre back, Calafiori has displayed all the qualities and attributes of a potentially top-class defender.

The 22-year-old presses and reads the game excellently. He was ranked second in Serie A for interceptions. An aggressive front-footed defender, only Torino's Alessandro Buongiorno averaged more a game.

Calafiori's use of the ball is superb, also, as is the requirement of all modern defenders. He is renowned for bringing the ball out of defence and joining in the construction of the play in midfield and beyond.

He excels with his progressive ball carrying. He was in the 92nd percentile compared to centre backs in Serie A when it comes to successful take-ons. He was in the 85th percentile for progressive carries.

His pass success rate is above 90 per cent, despite a high volume of passes that saw him in the top 10 for passes attempted per game among defenders. He had five assists in Serie A and also two for the Italy under-21s.

He also had two goals, both against his potentially future club Juventus.

Italy national team coach Luciano Spalletti is a big fan of Calafiori’s potential and called him up Italy's Euro 2024 squad.

He played the full 90 minutes of Italy's opening game of the finals - a 2-1 win against Albania. He was one of the best players in the match and earned rave reviews.

What clubs are interested in Riccardo Calafiori?

Juventus, Chelsea and Tottenham are leading the chase for Calafiori.

Juventus have been in negotiations to sign Calafiori for several weeks. The player himself would like to move to Juve and has already agreed personal terms.

Bologna want to keep Calafiori, though, and have put a €40m price tag on his head.

Tottenham are also interested in Calafiori, with Italian transfer chief Fabio Paratici known to be a big fan.

New Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is also a big fan of Calafiori and sent scouts to watch him in Italy's game against Albania.

With Juventus appointing Thiago Motta as their new coach this summer, that could also give the Bianconeri the advantage in signing Calafiori.

Basel have a 50 per cent sell-on clause his Bologna contract.

Calafiori’s contract at Bologna expires in June 2027.

How old is Riccardo Calafiori?

Bellanova is 22 years old. He was born on 19 May 2002.