Should Arsenal strike a deal, it is likely the club will want to forward one of its present full-back choices, Jakub Kiwior the player most closely associated with an Emirates Stadium exit to date

Arsenal is pursuing a deal to sign Riccardo Calafiori. Bologna is willing to sell, but only once a preferred payment arrangement is agreed upon.
Former club Basel is entitled to a considerable sum of money according to the sell-on clause.

Riccardo Calafiori is wanted by a number of top teams / Luca Amedeo Bizzarri/GettyImages

Based on sources, Arsenal has signed Riccardo Calafiori in agreement with Bologna.

Although the 22-year-old had a great season at club level, helping Bologna qualify for the Champions League, his heroics with Italy at Euro 2024 have truly catapulted him into the forefront.

Thanks to his performances, the value of the Italian has increased significantly; despite former club Basel having a 50% sell-on clause, on the £3.4m outlay they made just a year ago Bologna will make a considerable profit.

Over a €50m (£42m) deal, talks with Arsenal, the team to front the queue to recruit Calafiori, had been dragging on for a few weeks, with both sides attempting to negotiate a payment schedule that best fits their requirement.

Bologna were said to be holding out for €45m plus €5m in add-ons, including a hefty up front payment – something Arsenal intended to negotiate down and substitute with more conditions and future incentives.

Knowing that other top teams are eager to acquire players with a similar profile, the Athletic first said Arsenal was “accelerating” their efforts to get Calafiori and wanted to close a deal for the flexible defender “as soon as possible”.

An agreement has been agreed, according to Fabrizio Romano, which will see Arsenal pay a guaranteed €40m (£33.7m) fee, €5m in add-ons and has a sell-on provision.

Calafiori, who Bologna invited to pre-season training as a deal remained to be negotiated, has already signed personal terms on a five-year contract, having checked all the boxes Arsenal is seeking for a possible new hire.

Although Calafiori’s ability to play in the middle or at left-back fits Mikel Arteta’s inclination to play inverted full-backs, a mainstay of most top teams at club and international level, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are established as the first-choice centre-back pair for the Gunners.

Calafiori also displayed during Euro 2024 a readiness to push into midfield and advance with the ball, opening areas of space for Italy’s forward players to exploit, and his positive purpose when in control was much praised by observers.

Should Arsenal strike a deal, it is likely the club will want to forward one of its present full-back choices, Jakub Kiwior the player most closely associated with an Emirates Stadium exit to date.