Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal: Vicious legal battle ERUPTS as Italy legend Bonucci ‘sorry’

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 22 Jul 2024 10:16 BST
• 3 min read

Arsenal have been given a glowing assessment of Riccardo Calafiori before he completes his transfer to the Emirates side, with Italy legend Leonardo Bonucci backing the 22-year-old for Premier League success.

The Gunners roared into the race for Calafiori as Italy’s Euro 2024 campaign concluded, taking pole position in the transfer race from Juventus.

Their deal, however, appeared to have stalled amid claims that they were unwilling to match Bologna’s demands for the left-sided centre-back.

READ MORE: Why Arsenal's Calafiori transfer makes a MOCKERY of Man Utd's Yoro deal

Current ETV

R. Calafiori

D (CL)

Bologna

R. Calafiori

D (CL)

Bologna

€17.2M

ETV Range

€12.9M - €21.5M

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The impasse was broken over the weekend, though, and Calafiori now appears to be bound for Arsenal in a deal worth around €45 million – and Bonucci, who is widely regarded as one of the finest centre-backs of his generation, says that the Gunners have signed themselves as gem.

“Calafiori? I'm sorry about his transfer. I would have liked to see him at Juventus,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“He's a defender who's a little different to what we're used to seeing. He plays, has personality and fits in. We're exporting' a great player who will be a point of reference for the national team for the next 15 years.”

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Calafiori deal prompts legal battle

Arsenal’s transfer move to sign Calafiori has prompted a legal battle that is set to wind up in court.

Mikel Arteta’s side are not involved in this dispute, with Gazzetta dello Sport indicating there is a major feud brewing between FC Basel and Roma over a previous deal involving the Italy star.

The Swiss side are in line to recoup around half of the transfer fee Bologna earn in the Calafiori deal as part of the agreement that took the Italian to the Serie A club last summer. This means they are due approximately €22.5m.

Roma, though, want a big part of this figure. They claim that a previous deal struck for Calafiori in 2022 included a clause giving them 40% of his future resale. While Basel argue this condition was settled when they paid Roma €1.5m of the €4m they received from Bologna last summer, the side from the Italian capital believe they are also due a windfall from this case.

Arsenal’s deal for Calafiori may be close to conclusion, but the fallout may only just be beginning.