Arsenal have beaten a host of big clubs in Europe to sign young Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna.

Riccardo Calafiori on his way to Arsenal

Riccardo Calafiori is among the most sought-after defenders this summer, particularly in light of his exceptional performance at EURO 2024. Riccardo Calafiori’s performance was still highly regarded, despite Italy’s elimination in the round of 16. In the past, this 22-year-old defender was a shining example, significantly contributing to Bologna’s fourth-place finish in Serie A 2023/24 and their first-ever entry into the European Cup 1.

Riccardo Calafiori was pursued by numerous prominent European clubs, including Juventus and Real Madrid, according to reliable sources in Italy. Nevertheless, Arsenal approached the matter with the utmost gravity and promptly reached a personal agreement with the 22-year-old Italian defender. Subsequently, they engaged in negotiations with Bologna and encountered minimal complications.

It is important to note that a Premier League giant intervened in an attempt to acquire the transaction after Arsenal gained the upper hand. Nevertheless, Riccardo Calafiori promptly declined to join Arsenal and other European organizations, as he had previously expressed his intention to do so.

Arsenal have now agreed a transfer fee with Bologna. The Gunners have agreed to pay 40 million euros plus 5 million euros in add-ons for Riccardo Calafiori. They have also agreed to include a clause to share 10% of the profits if they sell the Italian defender to Bologna in the future.

However, the deal has yet to be officially completed due to a complicated contract between Bologna and Riccardo Calafiori’s former club, Basel. In the summer of 2023, Bologna signed Riccardo Calafiori from Basel for a mere €4 million, but they were forced to give 50% of future transfer profits to the Swiss club.

In this case, Bologna will make a profit of 41 million euros when selling Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal. Therefore, they will have to “return” 20.5 million euros to Basel. The problem lies in the clause that Bologna will benefit 10% in the future if Riccardo Calafiori leaves the Gunners. Therefore, the Italian club will have to agree with Basel to avoid disputes.