On Monday, July 29, Arsenal officially unveiled Riccardo Calafiori as their latest signing. The 22-year-old Italy international has joined the club from Serie A side Bologna for a reported €50 million ($54.17 million) fee, inclusive of add-ons. Calafiori has signed a five-year deal with the Gunners.
Before Calafiori, Arsenal had only signed David Raya, who had made his loan move permanent for a €32 million ($34.67 million) fee.
Who Is Arsenal Newboy Riccardo Calafiori?
Story So Far
Concluding weeks of negotiations, Calafiori has officially become an Arsenal player, and we believe fans have every right to feel excited about their newest player.
Calafiori began his professional career at AS Roma. After coming through the youth system, Calafiori joined the first team in September 2020, aged 18. However, his development derailed due to a serious knee injury, and he could not win back his place at Roma. After a loan spell at Genoa, Calafiori left permanently for FC Basel in August 2022.
In his only season at Basel, Calafiori played in 38 games in all competitions, scoring once and providing three assists. The following summer, Bologna came looking for the versatile defender and lapped him up for €24.5 million ($26.55 million).
In his debut season, Calafiori emerged as a leading figure at the back, delivering remarkable performances on cue. He also proved to be a menace in the opposition box and ended the season with two goals and five assists in 30 games. Calafiori’s heroics helped Bologna finish fifth in the Serie A rankings and qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 60 years.
Thanks to his performances for Bologna, Calafiori got an opportunity to represent Italy in the UEFA EURO 2024. The defender performed admirably, claiming an assist in four games, before the Azzurri exited the competition in the Round of 16.
Playing Style
Calafiori is a versatile defender, capable of playing both as a center-back and a left-back. In…
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Author : Sushan Chakraborty
Publish date : 2024-07-30 11:20:51
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