Arsenal FC expert Charles Watts has heaped praise onto the Gunners for their patient approach over the incoming signing of Riccardo Calafiori, with the journalist also stating that he expects the Italy international’s presence in Mikel Arteta’s squad to prove a pretty frightening prospect for the rest of the Premier League.

Calafiori looked superb for Bologna last season and also impressed for Italy at Euro 2024, and now it looks to have earned him a big move to the Emirates Stadium, which Watts feels was never really in doubt despite the saga dragging on for a while.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for the latest edition of his weekly column for the Daily Briefing, Watts gave us his insight into what he’s expecting from Calafiori as his move to Arsenal edges closer to completion.

Arsenal fans will certainly be excited by this arrival, which looks like just what Mikel Arteta needs as an upgrade on unconvincing duo Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior on the left-hand side of his defence.

Calafiori transfer: Arsenal expert on this exciting deal

“Arsenal have had to stay patient when it comes to their move for Riccardo Calafiori. But that is something they have shown they are willing to be when it comes to landing players they really want,” Watts said.

“You just have to look at when they signed Martin Odegaard on a permanent basis from Real Madrid in 2021 as a prime example of that.

“They were made to wait all summer by Madrid and could easily have grown frustrated and moved on to other targets. But they were happy to play the waiting game because Mikel Arteta and Edu were convinced Odegaard was a player who could take the team to the next level and they have been rewarded for that patience.

“They have not had to wait as long for Calafiori as they did for Odegaard and I don’t think they were ever worried that the deal would not get done. It feels like talks with Bologna have gone relatively well. It’s the massive sell-on fee that Basel will be due for the deal that has made things a bit tricky.”

He added: “I think it’s a really exciting signing for Arsenal. Left-back was one of two positions in the team last season where there was no real consistency. Arteta was having to mix and match throughout the season, with the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jakob Kiwior all filling in there.

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“When you look at Calafiori and where his strengths are, he looks like a really smart signing. He has the qualities to invert into midfield from left-back thanks to how comfortable he is with the ball when he drives forward. But if Arteta wants to use Ben White as his inverted full-back on the right, then Calafiori can just move more centrally and make up a three with Gabriel and William Saliba.

“Arsenal were so strong defensively last season and you have to think the addition of the 22-year-old is only going to make them even better at the back. That’s a pretty scary scenario for the rest of the Premier League.”

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The imminent signing of Riccardo Calafiori for Arsenal is reportedly likely to mean defenders could be sold by the Gunners.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior and Kieran Tierney would likely come to mind as three probable casualties of the Calafiori deal, and they are indeed the three mentioned in the latest report from The Athletic.

The piece states that Tierney is considered highly likely to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer, while Arsenal could also listen to offers for Zinchenko and Kiwior, so it will be interesting to see if anyone comes in with the kind of money that could convince the Gunners to cash in on them.

Calafiori would be an exciting signing for Arsenal after he showed immense potential in Serie A last season, as well as with Italy at Euro 2024, despite their relatively early exit from the tournament.

Calafiori transfer shows how high standards at Arsenal have got

The signing of Calafiori would truly be a statement by Mikel Arteta, who has done great work to lift the standards at Arsenal since taking over as manager five years ago.

Many top clubs will have been fairly happy with how Zinchenko and Kiwior have played in the last couple of years, but AFC are still keen to get the little details just right as they face such a formidable foe in the form of Manchester City.

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Neither Zinchenko nor Kiwior have done a lot wrong in their Arsenal careers, but Calafiori looks like an upgrade and possibly like a better tactical fit for what Arteta is trying to do, so it probably is for the best that the 22-year-old’s arrival means the others could leave.

Still, many Arsenal fans might also be questioning why this signing is a priority over a new attacking player, with some doubts remaining over the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli after they both suffered dips in form last season.

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Although it would appear that Riccardo Calafiori will be the next name through the door at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal are still working hard to strengthen elsewhere, and one Spanish European Championship hero remains top of their wanted list.

CaughtOffside sources with knowledge of the Gunners transfer plans have indicated that the North London outfit now want to move forward in negotiations to sign Real Sociedad’s brilliant 28-year-old Spanish player Mikel Merino.

Mikel Merino top of Arsenal’s wish list

It’s understood that the Gunners have received information about the player’s situation by meeting with the agents of the player, and they plan to make an opening offer of around the €30m mark soon.

Sources also note that Manchester United are continuing to monitor Merino’s situation, but the Red Devils don’t intend to prioritise his transfer at this stage of the summer window.

Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are also continuing their negotiations with Merino’s camp, and it’s said that both La Liga giants are ready and willing to make an offer of between €25m-€30m to Real Sociedad.

From La Real’s point of view, they’re left with little option other than to sell a player that they rate incredibly highly.

He has turned down their offer of a contract extension twice, and in the absence of an improved offer, the player will therefore listen to what other clubs have to say.

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Merino is at the top of Mikel Arteta’s shortlist this summer, though it isn’t clear at this point whether the player wishes to try a new experience in the Premier League, or will continue to ply his trade in La Liga.

Given Arteta’s own career, which took in a period at Real Sociedad as well as with the Spanish national team (up to U21 level), there’s a good chance that he could persuade his countryman to move to North London, and clearly the next few weeks are going to be crucial in terms of any negotiations.

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has responded to a question about the Riccardo Calafiori transfer situation whilst also sending a strong and clear message to the club’s board about what they have to do this summer.

Arsenal are closing in on the Italy international, according to BBC Sport, though they also quote Arteta as saying he has no update on that particular deal, though the Spanish tactician then goes on to say how important it is for the Gunners to achieve a perfect summer transfer window.

Arsenal have come really close to winning the title for two seasons in a row now, but on both occasions narrowly missed out as Manchester City ended up taking the trophy, so Arteta will be understandably desperate to fix some of the finer details of his squad to ensure they can go all the way this time.

Discussing Arsenal transfers this summer, Arteta clearly took the opportunity to send a message to his board about how important it is to get their deals right if they are to go on and enjoy success on the pitch.

Arteta’s Arsenal transfer demand

“We have to,” Arteta said when asked about improving his squad. “When you are so close you want to grab it.

“Perfection in this league requires different standards when you relate that word to winning the Premier League and that is what we have to do.

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“There is still a lot of time left in the window and while that is more a question for the board, obviously we know there are certain positions that we want to improve and give the squad better resources in terms of numbers but the main thing is to focus on falling in love with the players we have.”

AFC supporters will no doubt be excited by the arrival of Calafiori, but it also seems clear that the north London giants could do with further new additions before the start of the campaign after what has been a surprisingly quiet summer at the Emirates Stadium so far.

The post Mikel Arteta responds to Riccardo Calafiori transfer question and sends strong message to Arsenal board appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal have been slow to start their transfer business but with the new season approaching fast, the Gunners are now ready to address a number of issues in their squad.

After completing the permanent signing of David Raya, who joined the club on loan last season from Brentford, the Premier League giants are edging closer to a move to Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori.

Despite the Calafiori deal not getting completed yet, the Gunners have set their sights on two more signings.

According to Standard Sport, the North Londoners are set to focus on signing a new midfielder and a striker in the coming weeks.

Signing a new midfielder and attacker have been Arsenal’s priority for a long time as they search for a new partner for Declan Rice in the midfield and a new attacker who is ruthless in front of goal.

As far as midfield addition is concerned, Euro 2024 winning midfielder Mikel Merino is being targeted by Arteta this summer.

The former Newcastle United midfielder has caught the attention of Gunners and they have made the Real Sociedad midfielder their prime target.

The Spaniard is not only known for his physical presence in the middle of the park but also his creativity and passing quality.

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Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has faced a number of fitness issues during his spell at the Emirates Stadium and Arteta is looking for a more reliable option in the midfield ahead of next season.

It remains to be seen who Arsenal will sign as their new attacker this summer.

Arsenal desperately need a prolific striker

They have been previously linked with Ivan Toney, Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko and Victor Osimhen.

But nobody is close to joining the Premier League giants right now and the Gunners have a lot of work to do on that front.

The intention from the North Londoners is clear though; they want to strengthen their squad in order to challenge for the Premier League title again and this time go one step further and break their league title drought that has been going on since 2004.

Just like in previous windows, Arteta is set to be backed by the club owners to make new signings and address key issues facing the squad.

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Riccardo Calafiori has not returned to the Bologna squad for pre-season after coming back from his summer holidays, according to transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano, with a move to Arsenal now surely edging closer.

The Italy international has shone during his time in Serie A but it now looks increasingly likely that the Premier League will be his next destination, with Romano providing another update today.

As well as posting a rather teasing hourglass emoji on his official X page, Romano also gave the latest details below as he made it clear Bologna have not called Calafiori up ahead of his expected exit, with a green light perhaps moving a step closer…

???? #AFC https://t.co/rGX17HWS4e

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 22, 2024

???? Riccardo Calafiori did not get called up for Bologna duties after returning from holidays.

Arsenal and Bologna agreed on €40m plus €5m deal with sell-on clause also included, Calafiori agreed on five year deal with #AFC.

Just waiting for Bologna and Basel green light. pic.twitter.com/aqgLrf6uXY

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 22, 2024

Calafiori looks an exciting signing for Arsenal, so fans of the Gunners will no doubt be desperate for this to go through soon, with the 22-year-old then available to join in pre-season with Mikel Arteta’s side.

Arsenal already have a strong squad, but adding a superb young and versatile talent like this should only further boost their chances of winning the title next season after coming so close back in May.

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Calafiori should prove to be an upgrade on unconvincing performers like Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior, while he’ll also give AFC an alternative at centre-back if William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes end up missing games through injury or suspension.

A lack of depth in defence has been an issue for Arsenal in the past, but Calafiori joining and Jurrien Timber returning from injury should make a big difference for the north London giants next season.

Romano also spoke exclusively to CaughtOffside yesterday to provide us with some insight into how Arsenal persisted in their efforts to sign Calafiori even when it was not an easy deal and there were even some rumours at points that the move looked to have stalled.

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Arsenal are closing in on the transfer of Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, and it’s fair to say Juventus and Italy legend Leonardo Bonucci is disappointed to see the player leaving Serie A for the Premier League.

While it’s not a done deal yet, Fabrizio Romano reported via his Daily Briefing column yesterday that it should be a ‘here we go’ for Calafiori to Arsenal soon, and it seems Bonucci is also very much expecting his fellow countryman to make the move to the Emirates Stadium.

The 22-year-old shone for Bologna last season and also looked impressive at Euro 2024 this summer, and Bonucci admits he’s disappointed that his former club Juventus didn’t manage to sign him this summer.

It was perhaps always going to be difficult for Juve after they also raided Bologna for their former manager Thiago Motta, but Arsenal will just be happy either way to have landed such an exciting defensive prospect.

Bonucci was a rock-solid centre-back during his peak years and the fact that he rates Calafiori so highly can only be considered a big compliment.

Calafiori transfer: Bonucci disappointed to see Arsenal beat Juventus to defender

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia about Calafiori and his move to Arsenal, Bonucci said: “Calafiori? I’m sorry about his transfer. I would have liked to see him at Juventus.

“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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The message couldn’t be clearer: Arsenal are set to sign a huge talent and someone Bonucci expects to be a ‘reference’ for the Italian national team for the next decade and more.

AFC supporters will now just be hoping this deal can be made official as soon as possible so that Calafiori can get all the benefits of a long pre-season and time to settle in with his new club.

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This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive transfer news via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

Here we go soon for Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal transfer

One of the big stories of the day is with Riccardo Calafiori and Arsenal – the ‘here we go’ is coming because there is an agreement between Arsenal and Bologna on a €40m fixed fee, €5m in add-ons, and a sell-on clause for Bologna. Calafiori had already agreed a contract with Arsenal back in June, which would be until 2029, so everything is ready for him to go to Arsenal.

Calafiori has asked Bologna to be allowed to fulfil his dream and go to Arsenal, so it will be completed in the next days. The next key steps will be between Bologna and Basel to agree on payment terms for the 50% sell-on clause that Basel had for their former player. They’re set to receive a big amount of money, and so they now have to agree with Bologna now to structure this part of the deal, while Arsenal are just waiting.

Despite some reports that the deal had stalled, the reality is that the negotiations never stopped. It was not easy, but they kept going, and now there’s an agreement. Arsenal fans can be excited by this signing – I think he can do great in Premier League, he’s an excellent player, we saw that with his form in Serie A and with Italy at the Euros also.

Another story to watch at Arsenal is that Crystal Palace will bid for Emile Smith Rowe. Let’s see if Arsenal reject the bid, like they did with Fulham, or if they will be ready to negotiate. Still, Smith Rowe looks like being an interesting situation to watch in the next days.

Another Arsenal sale could be Eddie Nketiah, who has been attracting strong interest from Marseille since last week. Now it’s true that, as reported in France, Marseille have presented a proposal to Arsenal – there is still no agreement, but there is a negotiation ongoing between the two clubs.

Manuel Ugarte to Man Utd latest, plus truth on Sancho and Mount future

There’s a chance for Jadon Sancho to stay at Manchester United – a lot will depend on the next weeks. Pre-season, feelings with the manager, performances…he has chances to stay. Interest from other clubs remains but there have been no official bids so far, so it’s still quiet. Sancho’s decision to clarify with Erik ten Hag also shows how they can be ready to continue together, but it depends on what happens in the next weeks.

There were reports yesterday about Mason Mount potentially leaving Manchester United. From what I’ve heard on the club and player side, however, is exactly the same, and that’s that Mount doesn’t want to leave Man United. He wants to do his best to show his skills at United after an unlucky first season with injuries. And United, from what I’m hearing, have no intention to sell Mount, so at the moment it’s absolutely under control and he’s set to be involved in the project of Erik ten Hag.

Meanwhile, Manuel Ugarte said yes to Manchester United a few days ago – they’ve reached an agreement with the player and his agent Jorge Mendes, who also represents Leny Yoro. Ugarte wants to go to Man United and so now they’re negotiating with PSG – also because United know that PSG are advancing well in talks to sign a new midfielder – Joao Neves.

Paris Saint-Germain have presented an official offer to Benfica for Neves – around €70m, but Benfica want more. Still, they understand that they will not get the full €120m release clause for Neves – they always tried to ask for this clause and this is why a deal didn’t happen earlier, but they now know that Neves has agreed terms with PSG.

Neves is convinced by the PSG project under Luis Enrique, and Benfica also know that PSG will not pay the clause. For now, the €70m offer is not enough, but negotiations are ongoing, and so PSG look like they could sign Neves in the next days.

So, it could be one in and one out in the PSG midfield as Ugarte is an option for Man United. However, I don’t have any substantial update on Adrien Rabiot and Man United now, despite links. The player’s camp is talking to several clubs after leaving Juventus on a free transfer, but at the moment I’m not aware of anything imminent with Man United.

Dani Olmo clause expires – what next for Bayern and Barca target?

Dani Olmo’s €60m release clause at RB Leipzig will now expire. So what does it mean? At the time of writing no one has triggered the release clause – there was no last-minute deal, it’s not happening. The relationship between Olmo and Leipzig remains excellent, and the idea remains that if Leipzig receive good proposals, even after the release clause expired, Olmo can still leave the club.

This is the idea, though of course it’s more difficult without a release clause as negotiations will be needed between interested clubs and Leipzig. Still, there is room for things to happen, even if there is nothing currently going on with Chelsea and Manchester City, despite rumours. Man City appreciate the player, but any reports of them working on the deal are fake news, they’ve not been working on the deal. Chelsea, meanwhile, believe they are already well covered with left-footed attacking players.

Still, there is interest from other Premier League clubs, so it could be an interesting situation to watch, let’s see if they will move in the next few days or weeks. Meanwhile, as I’ve previously reported, Olmo remains an option for Bayern Munich in case their deal for Xavi Simons collapses. Olmo is still on Bayern’s list, so let’s see what happens with Simons, as Olmo is still an option for Bayern.

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This is nothing new – Olmo has been on Bayern’s list since May, with Max Eberl, former director at Leipzig, knowing the player very well. Barcelona also appreciate Olmo and have a good relationship with his agents, because he shares agents with Mikayil Faye, so they had the opportunity to ask about his situation. Still, for Barca, the priority is Nico Williams.

Let’s see what happens with Williams, but he’s the obsession of Barcelona right now. Negotiations are ongoing on the player side, and then let’s see what Barca decide to do with him or with Olmo eventually, but at the moment there’s still no bid.

In other news…

Alphonso Davies – Now Bayern are open to keeping Alphonso Davies and see what happens in contract talks, but if he doesn’t extend, Davies remains an option for Real Madrid in 2025, but Real Madrid were never gonna pay €50m or €60m for him when he’s just a year away from being a free agent.

Andriy Lunin – Much has been written about Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, and the reality is that he could leave Real Madrid this summer, but to name specific clubs we will have to wait for a few more days. As I said earlier in the week, Real Madrid have not received any approach for Lunin from Chelsea so far.

Julian Alvarez – Manchester City keep considering Julian Alvarez as a key player for them, so it would have to be a big proposal or there is no chance for all the clubs interested. There is no way for loan, I also saw that kind of reports. More talks between Julian’s camp and City in the next days will take place to discuss future steps.

Andreas Pereira – I don’t want to deny any colleague but I don’t have information on talks between Chelsea and Andreas Pereira, or Chelsea and Fulham so far, despite what has been reported in Brazil. Chelsea’s focus is on a right-footed winger, striker, and goalkeeper. On Pereira’s future in general, it will depend on opportunities and what kind of proposals he will receive.

The post Transfer news: Calafiori to Arsenal here we go soon, Man Utd potential exits, Chelsea midfielder links & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

There’s always so much transfer news to sift through at this time of the year, but we’ve put together ten deals that genuinely look like ones to watch out for very soon, if Fabrizio Romano and other top journalists are anything to go by.

While there’s still plenty of time left until Deadline Day, and we’ve seen more than a few twists and turns in some major sagas in recent times, here’s a look at some signings that should go through soon due to being at an advanced stage, or that are at least being worked on at the moment.

Read on four our pick of ten transfer deals to watch out for next this summer…

Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal

After weeks of speculation, it now looks like the Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal transfer deal is more or less a done deal, with just some formalities remaining before it can be made official, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his Daily Briefing column earlier today, Romano said: “Riccardo Calafiori and Arsenal – the ‘here we go’ is coming because there is an agreement between Arsenal and Bologna on a €40m fixed fee, €5m in add-ons, and a sell-on clause for Bologna.

“Calafiori had already agreed a contract with Arsenal back in June, which would be until 2029, so everything is ready for him to go to Arsenal.

“Despite some reports that the deal had stalled, the reality is that the negotiations never stopped. It was not easy, but they kept going, and now there’s an agreement.”

Manuel Ugarte to Manchester United

After some exciting early deals for young talents Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro, Manchester United could make another smart move to strengthen their squad as they’ve agreed personal terms with PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte.

As also reported by Romano, Ugarte wants to join Man Utd, and the Uruguay international looks like he could be an important upgrade on inconsistent performers like Casemiro and Sofyan Amrabat, who looked far from good enough for much of last season.

This perhaps isn’t as advanced as something like the Calafiori to Arsenal deal, as United still need to agree a deal with PSG, but one imagines they’ll be prepared t let him go as they have a midfield signing of their own in the works. More on that next…

Joao Neves to PSG

Although it’s not done yet, PSG are accelerating their efforts to sign Benfica midfield wonderkid Joao Neves, as French football expert Jonathan Johnson exclusively told us for his column last week.

Neves is one of the most exciting young players in the world in his position, and it makes sense that the Ligue 1 giants seem keen to offload someone like Ugarte and bring in this exciting long-term addition who perhaps looks a better fit for Luis Enrique’s style of play.

“Joao Neves to PSG looks to be accelerating at the moment, with PSG stealing a march on other European competitors,” Johnson said on Thursday.

“PSG are looking to negotiate a deal with Benfica, with Neves happy to make the move to the Parc des Princes. It’s now down to the two clubs to reach an agreement.”

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Victor Osimhen to PSG

Another big name to watch for PSG will be Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who is another concrete target for the French champions as they look for a big-name signing up front to replace departing star Kylian Mbappe.

Osimhen to PSG looks to be advancing, as Romano recently told us, and it’s fair to say the Nigeria international will be one of the biggest names to move this summer if this deal does go through.

Napoli aren’t an easy club to negotiate with, so this one can’t be considered a done deal yet, but it seems there is serious intent there from PSG, who surely need upgrades on last summer’s unconvincing new attacking duo Goncalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani.

Romelu Lukaku to Napoli

If Osimhen does leave Napoli for PSG, Romano has made it clear that Romelu Lukaku to Napoli would be one to watch, with the Belgian striker surely having no future at Chelsea.

Lukaku has been out on loan for the last two seasons, first at Inter Milan and then at Roma, and it seems he could now be set for a spell with a third Serie A club.

Even if Lukaku has flopped at Chelsea, Napoli would surely be pretty happy with him as a replacement for Osimhen up front, especially as one imagines he probably wouldn’t be too expensive.

The post Calafiori to Arsenal, Man Utd midfielder signing – 10 high-profile summer transfers to watch out for next appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano has provided some insight into how Arsenal kept going in negotiations with Bologna to eventually reach an agreement on a deal to sign Riccardo Calafiori.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Romano explained that, despite what had been reported elsewhere, negotiations never actually stalled between Arsenal and Bologna, even if it was not an easy deal to get done.

Still, it now seems the Gunners have reached an agreement with Bologna, and Romano has once again talked up Calafiori’s quality, saying the Italy international looks like he’ll be an exciting signing for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Arsenal fans will be pleased this deal didn’t fall through despite the difficult challenge of negotiating with Bologna, and Romano seems confident they’ve got their hands on an excellent defender.

Calafiori transfer: Arsenal’s imminent new signing praised by Romano

“One of the big stories of the day is with Riccardo Calafiori and Arsenal – the ‘here we go’ is coming because there is an agreement between Arsenal and Bologna on a €40m fixed fee, €5m in add-ons, and a sell-on clause for Bologna,” Romano said.

“Calafiori had already agreed a contract with Arsenal back in June, which would be until 2029, so everything is ready for him to go to Arsenal.

“Despite some reports that the deal had stalled, the reality is that the negotiations never stopped. It was not easy, but they kept going, and now there’s an agreement.

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“Arsenal fans can be excited by this signing – I think he can do great in Premier League, he’s an excellent player, we saw that with his form in Serie A and with Italy at the Euros also.”

Calafiori can play centre-back or left-back and one imagines he’ll mostly play the latter role at the Emirates Stadium, bringing Arsenal an upgrade on Oleksandr Zinchenko, as well as extra depth at centre-back in case William Saliba or Gabriel Magalhaes pick up injuries at any point.

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