Riccardo Calafiori has officially become an Arsenal player after weeks of speculation regarding his transfer to the Gunners. The Italian international has signed a five-year contract with the club, joining from Bologna for a fee of £33.7 million, which could increase to £42 million with add-ons.
The 22-year-old, versatile enough to play both as a left-back and a left-sided centre-back, was instrumental in helping Bologna secure a fifth-place finish in Serie A last season, earning them a spot in the Champions League.
Despite his strong performance, Italy had a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign, in which Calafiori also featured prominently.
Calafiori wasted no time integrating with the Arsenal squad. After completing his medical examination in London over the weekend, he traveled to the United States to join his new teammates and has already begun training in Philadelphia.
Arsenal is currently in Philadelphia for the second leg of their US tour, having previously been in Los Angeles. They have one more match in the States before heading back to England.
Regarding Calafiori’s potential debut, Arsenal’s next game in the USA is against Liverpool on Wednesday, which will be early Thursday morning UK time.
There is a possibility that Calafiori might be featured in this match, although if he does play, it will likely be from the bench since he has only trained with the team once or twice.
If Calafiori does not make his debut against Liverpool, he may debut at home against Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, August 7.
Arsenal will then host Lyon on Sunday, August 13, presenting another opportunity for Calafiori to make his first appearance in front of the home fans.
Leave a Reply