In the summer transfer window of 2024, Riccardo Calafiori’s £42m transfer from Bologna was Arsenal’s first and most expensive signing of that window. Despite showing glimpses of consistency throughout the campaign, the Italian has failed to convince the Arsenal fanbase, due to a combination of factors such as injuries, defensive lapses and limited game time. Regardless however, Calafiori is on course to be the present and future of Arsenal’s defense due to his age and potential.
One man who was obviously influential in bringing him to the Emirates was Mikel Arteta and, in a recent interview, the Italian has shed more light on the Spaniard’s role in bringing him to the English capital. Speaking to Italian outlet Rivista Undici, He revealed the touching approach Arteta made to help convince him to join the club.
“The first thing that comes to mind is the organisation,” he said. “How much they care about each player from every point of view, both on the pitch and especially off the pitch.
“As for Arteta, I was immediately struck by how much he cared about getting to know me. One day on the phone he sent me some photos of my family and asked me to say what each member of the family meant to me.
“Nothing like this had ever happened to me before, I’m not saying that he convinced me with this alone, but it certainly represented an important moment.”
Furthermore, he also went on to hint at a position switch at Arsenal in the future. Due to our style of play, we often always require our fullbacks to invert and this has aligned perfectly with Calafiori’s eagerness to step up field from defensive positions. The Italian expressed his willingness to go one step further though as he eyes up a midfield role.
“There are many things that I still don’t know how to do,” Calafiori told Rivista. “I want to keep learning to play in as many different roles as possible. For now, I know how to play two roles (left-back and center-back), but I have always been passionate about midfielders and would love to learn how to play there.”
Despite managing to make only 26 appearances for our Gunners thus far, he has a pretty respectable tally of 3 goals and 2 assists in all competitions. With that in mind, perhaps it might not be far fetched to see him line up in our midfield someday.
With that said, Myles Lewis-Skelly will be the likely out of the pair to be pushed into a midfield role. Apart from it being his natural position, the imminent departures of Jorginho and Thomas Partey in the summer may also force the issue!
Thoughts on our Italian’s comments Gooners?
BENJAMIN KENNETH
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With our current situation it wouldn’t be far fetched to see him line up at the 9 let alone midfield.🤣🤦♂️👍?
Oh well
This guy can be porous in defence…he is good going forward.MLS offers more stability. And he is a regular client of the treatment room, Bologna defrauded Arsenal.
Is not true bro. Riccardo Calafiori is a good buy for Arsenal. Just allow him to settle down very well, you will see the very best of Calafiori
We are yet to see the best of Calafiori and that’s okay. It’s easy to forget that it’s his first season in the Premier League and lots of players need at least a season to get going. It’s also easy to forget that other than the academy players, he’s actually the youngest member of squad so still raw and learning his trade.
Personally, I think his best position is left centre back and I hope to see him play some games there next season. Making runs from centre back into midfield is more suited to him than out wide. We saw him do it to great effect for Italy and Bologna. These runs into midfield could even be a weapon against stubborn low blocks.
👍 Onyango
Players bought on the basis of performance in international tournaments usually don’t work out too well.
All but a few international sides are weak which makes the players in the better sides look better than they are.
Calafiori is a special talent.
Let him grow with us.
You may be right. I like the tools that I’m seeing and he has great spirit and vitality. Onyango above was as usual, spot on imo.