Inter Milan’s sporting director Piero Ausilio and his deputy Dario Baccin have flown to London on a scouting mission that could have significant implications for Arsenal this summer.
According to L’Interista, the pair are in the capital to watch players in person as they begin shaping Inter’s transfer plans for the next window and one name that has emerged firmly on their radar is Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori.
The 23-year-old is valued at around €50 million by Transfermarkt but Arsenal would almost certainly demand more given they paid €43.7 million to sign him in 2024.
The fact that two of Inter’s most senior recruitment figures have made the trip to London at this stage of the season tells you everything about how seriously the Nerazzurri are taking their summer planning.
Alessandro Bastoni Barcelona interest forces Inter Milan to push for Calafiori transfer
The reason Calafiori has moved up the list at Inter comes down to events closer to home. Barcelona’s interest in Inter’s own Alessandro Bastoni has escalated to the point where it is being treated as a genuine threat rather than background noise.
The Catalan club are reportedly willing to push hard to bring the centre-back to Spain this summer and while Bastoni retains a strong connection to Inter, the pull of Barcelona’s project is proving difficult to ignore.
Inter are not waiting around to find out how that situation develops.
Calafiori is being identified as a potential like-for-like replacement should Bastoni depart, and the London trip is part of the groundwork being laid for that scenario.
The Nerazzurri are preparing for every possibility, and having boots on the ground watching him in person is a clear sign of intent.
Riccardo Calafiori Arsenal future uncertain?
The question from Arsenal’s perspective is straightforward, would the Gunners sell? Calafiori is a key player for Mikel Arteta when fit, albeit operating predominantly at left-back rather than in his more natural centre-back role.
Inter could potentially use that as a selling point, offering the Italian the prospect of regular football in his preferred central defensive position. That is a conversation worth having from Calafiori’s point of view, even if Arsenal are not keen to lose him.
Arteta has built genuine depth in his defensive unit, with William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and others providing cover across the backline.
But Calafiori’s quality and his ability to operate in multiple positions make him a difficult player to replace.
Arsenal will not be rushed into a decision, and any deal would need to exceed the €50 million Transfermarkt valuation by a meaningful margin before the Gunners would even consider engaging in talks.
