Arsenal 'on the verge' of completing deal as defender heads to London for medical
Arsenal is reportedly about to sign Riccardo Calafiori, a defender from Bologna. Calafiori is expected to undergo his medical examination in London soon. Arsenal has had a relatively quiet summer compared to other Premier League clubs, with David Raya being their only confirmed signing so far. Raya, who was on loan at Arsenal last season, made a permanent move from Brentford at the beginning of the month.
Arsenal has been trying to sign Calafiori for several weeks, engaging in tough negotiations with Bologna before finalizing an agreement last week. Arsenal showed interest in the 22-year-old Italian defender early in the transfer window, but discussions gained momentum after Italy was knocked out of Euro 2024.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Calafiori will travel from Italy to London today and will undergo the first part of his medical shortly after his arrival. If everything goes well, he will then head to the United States to join Arsenal's pre-season tour by this weekend.
When asked about Arsenal's attempt to sign Calafiori on Thursday, Mikel Arteta had little to share: "There is no update," he said. "As soon as we have something to say, we will be the first one to say. You know I don't like talking about external players, but this is the situation at the moment." This interview came after Arsenal's opening pre-season friendly, where they secured a victory over Bournemouth on penalties following a 1-1 draw. Arsenal's next pre-season game will be against Manchester United in the US on Sunday.
Bologna bought Calafiori from Basel for £3.4 million, and Basel included a 40% sell-on clause in the deal. In his first season back in Italy, Calafiori played 37 matches, scored 2 goals, and made 5 assists. His performances helped Bologna have an impressive Serie A campaign, securing a spot in the Champions League for the upcoming season.
Calafiori has three years left on his contract with Bologna, but he made it clear to the club's board that he wants to move to a bigger team this summer. His arrival at Arsenal could mean the departure of Jakub Kiwior, who has reportedly been told he is free to move on this summer. Both Milan clubs are believed to be interested in signing Kiwior.
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