Arsenal have surprised both fans and rivals by showing an urgency to sign Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori as their transfer plans begin to gather pace.
Arsenal Accelerate Efforts to Sign Riccardo Calafiori
Further Talks Planned
After it was revealed a few days back that Arsenal were closely monitoring Calafiori’s situation Fabrizio Romano has provided a crucial update on their plans. According to him, the North London club has submitted a long-term proposal to the player’s camp.
Calafiori has given the green light to the move, provided Arsenal can agree on terms with Bologna. Meanwhile, the Londoners are preparing for a further round of talks with both the defender and his team. It is believed they will have to pay a transfer fee of around £42 million to sign him.
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The next step is to strike an agreement with Bologna, which shouldn’t be a problem given how eager the club are to bring Calafiori to the Emirates.
Arsenal’s deal for Takehiro Tomiyasu is supposed to play a vital role in this transfer saga. The Japanese international was signed from Bologna in 2021 and the transfer established a healthy relationship between both parties, which might benefit the Gunners in the negotiations.
Juventus No Longer the Favourites to Sign Calafiori
Manager Thiago Motta’s decision to abandon Bologna for Juventus had left a bad taste in Club director Giovanni Sartori’s mouth, and the move has ended up spoiling the Turin club’s attempts to sign the prized defender.
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Sartori had refused to entertain the idea of selling his player to a direct rival. He said: “I don’t think he will go to Juventus, it will probably be abroad.” Moreover, the huge price tag was another reason the transfer to Juventus fell through.
English club Chelsea are said to be still interested in the Italian left-back. But rivals Arsenal are now the clear favourites to sign Calafiori.
