Arsenal are looking to acquire Bologna center-back Riccardo Calafiori in the ongoing summer transfer window and are pushing to conclude a transfer before any other club could make a move for him. The Gunners have reportedly offered the Italian defender a wage of £65,000 per week in order to secure his signature before any rivals could pursue his services.
The North Londoners, per TuttoBologna, have agreed to personal terms with the player as they fortify their efforts to conclude the transfer.
Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, likes to keep their transfer talks under wraps, and that’s been the case for signing Riccardo Calafiori as well. He has been linked with a move to Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Juventus in the papers, while the Gunners secured his services by moving in silence.
Versatile Calafiori offered lucrative deal to join Arsenal revolution
The Gunners are yet to find common terms with Calafiori’s current employers, but they have agreed on a €4 million per year salary to close the deal, which comes out as £65,000 per week. Bologna are looking for a fee in the range of £43 million for the 22-year-old, whom Fabrizio Romano described as ‘one of the best in the world’.
With William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães being an absolute unit in the heart of the defense, and with only Jakub Kiwior as a potential back-up, the Italian can become an inspired signing for the future in the position. He can even take over the left-back reins from Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has suffered a massive drop in form in the last season. Calafiori could also feature as LCB in a back three if Mikel Arteta chooses to change his tactics.
The Italian brings a sense of unpredictability to the Arsenal line-up.
Arteta has presented a long-term proposal to Calafiori, which the defender has accepted. The gunners now need to act quickly to secure his services.
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