Arsenal meet Bologna’s asking price for Riccardo Calafiori

Carlo Garganese

• 3 Jul 2024 11:00 BST
• 4 min read

Arsenal are very close to meeting Bologna’s asking price for summer transfer target Riccardo Calafiori.

According to the Corriere dello Sport, Arsenal have lodged a €47 million bid for the Bologna defender.

They are just €3m short of Calafiori’s asking price and, with such a small distance between offer and demand, an agreement is imminent.

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FootballTransfers reported on Tuesday that Arsenal had opened talks with Bologna over a possible deal for Calafiori after Jorginho recommended his Italy teammate to Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal’s Italian midfielder Jorginho personally recommended Calafiori to Arteta, informing the Gunners boss that he should seriously consider signing the Bologna defender.

We also reported that Bologna are demanding €50m to sell Calafiori, and Corriere now says that Arsenal have virtually met that asking price already.

The Bologna centre back is wanted by a host of clubs - most notably Arsenal - as well as Real Madrid, Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus.

Juventus had been favourites to sign Calafiori - and the player has long since agreed personal terms with the Bianconeri and would ideally prefer a move there - but Bologna are reluctant to sell to their Serie rivals.

Bologna’s €50m asking price is also a problem for Juventus, but is no issue to Arsenal.

Bologna transfer chief Giovanni Sartori revealed earlier this week that the Euro 2024 star is more likely to move to the Premier League this summer than join Juventus.

What did Sartori say?

“We only signed Calafiori 12 months ago, so we’ll see what happens, but in our minds we want to keep him,” Sartori said.

“There has been talk of Juventus, but also many other clubs. If we were to receive big offers, we’d have to think about it.

“I don’t think he will go to Juventus, it will probably be abroad, but I repeat we will try to keep him.”

Calafiori’s former club Basel will receive a 40-50% sell-on amount when the defender is sold.

READ MORE: Premier League summer transfers 2024: All the Done Deals

Calafiori was one of the breakout stars of the Serie A season in 2023-24, playing a key role in Bologna’s shock qualification for the Champions League.

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. His use of the ball is superb and he is renowned for bringing the ball out of defence and joining in the construction of the play in midfield and beyond. He is aggressive and excellent in the air.

Calafiori was converted from a left back to a centre back by now former Bologna manager Thiago Motta - now the new Juventus boss.

The defender also enjoyed a brilliant Euro 2024 group stage, setting up Mattia Zaccagni’s memorable 98th minute equaliser for Italy against Croatia.