Arsenal have announced the signing of Italy international Riccardo Calafiori for a fee reported to be €40 million plus add-ons.
The 22-year-old moves to the Emirates after an impressive showing at Euro 2024 and will provide competition on the left side of defence.
Calafiori’s backstory makes for interesting reading and sheds a little light on his personality.
He suffered a career-threatening knee injury representing AS Roma in a Uefa Youth League match in 2018 but bounced back from a year on the sidelines to earn his senior debut in 2020.
He fell out of favour during Jose Mourinho’s spell in charge and has quietly rebuilt his reputation first on loan at Genoa and then via a season with FC Basel.
Benvenuto, Riccardo Calafiori 🇮🇹
Meeting new teammates for the very first time ❤️ pic.twitter.com/JbUhqOBCMN
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 29, 2024
His performances in Switzerland caught the eye of Bologna who paid a bargain £4 million last summer although they’d later kick themselves by agreeing to a 50% sell-on fee. He subsequently helped the Rossoblu secure Champions League qualification and earned himself his first senior cap for the Azzurri.
It’s been a hectic few years for the young man but he’s garnered a lot of experience on and off the pitch. It’ll be interesting to see how the next chapter of his career unfolds. He’s been handed the number 33 shirt.
Reflecting on the deal, Arteta said: “We welcome Riccardo and his family to Arsenal. He is a great signing and gives us huge strength to reinforce our defence.
“Riccardo is a big personality and character, with specific skills which will make us stronger as we push to win major trophies. He has already shown great development in recent seasons with his performances for both Bologna and Italy, with his progression and development in the past year being really impressive.
“We’re looking forward to working with Riccardo, integrating him into the squad, and supporting him in the years to come.”
While the Gunners have signed many players from Serie A clubs, recruiting Italian passport holders for the first team has been a rarity. Until Jorginho signed from Chelsea in January 2022, only Emiliano Viviano, a backup keeper for the 2013/14 season, had been signed specifically for the first team.
Arturo Lupoli and Vito Mannone did work their way through the academy to play for the club and defensive prospect Niccolo Galli was tipped for big things until he tragically died in a road traffic accident at 17. Brazil international Gabriel Martinelli also holds an Italian passport.
Get in!
Calafiori dreamin’ on such a
winter’ssummer’s day!!I guess there will be some Calafiori dreamin based suggestions for a song, but I kinda liked James’s suggestion of Katie Perry’s California Gurls… so with that inspiration, and knowing MAs love for a duel, this is my effort.
Calafiore’s skills are unforgettable
Every duel he comes out on top
Striding forward he is unstoppable
Whoa oh oh oh, Whoa oh oh oh
The last line could also be closer to the original song;
Gooners represent, now put your hands up
But I kinda hope the ‘striding forward’ thing works when we see him live.
Nah, I’m sticking with Califiori dreaming. Fuck Katie Perry. Learn good music.
Don’t get me wrong friend, I’d also take listening to Mamas and Papas over Katie Perry, but she (and the people around her) knows how to write a hook that could be fun to sing from the terraces
God I hope not. Cringe level 100.
You’ve got this stuck in my head now, I’d forgotten what a great song and it just might work for his song!
Wow. This has come out of nowhere
Stop quoting Man City’s lawyers
🤣🤣🤣 I missed Arseblog.
Andiamo!
“He fell out of favour during Jose Mourinho’s spell in charge” at Roma.
I did not know this. I like him even more.
Remember that era when most of the footballing world used to think Mourinho was a top manager?
🤔
Neither do I.
What he did with Porto was pretty special to be fair. His ChelSKI team on the other hand were successful but really boring to watch.
Pep vs. Jose in Spain was like watching something out of the WWE…insane!
I prefer Arteta; he is a great example to young managers about how to show players and staff great respect. In the mold of our dear Wenger 🙂
Mohd Salah and Kevin Debruyne fell out of his favour too
I Concur! Sounds like an interesting signing, but falling out with Mourinho makes me love him already
I think that was the season they signed AMN on loan…. to replace a certain academy talent who was himself going out on loan because Jose hates fun.
The proverbial seal of approval. Get In.
Didn’t see that coming. Love these surprise signings
Calafiori dreaming, Calafiori coming true. Benvenuto a Arsenal bambino!
Arsenal always surprising me with transfers no one expected and hidden gems no one heard of!!
This has progressed so slowly this almost feels “like a new signing.”
If you squint it looks like Arteta has a mullet in that picture
Suits him tbf
It does not!! 😂
Haha – Oddo is not lying
Hi my poor eye sight, I first laughed as I saw the picture, believing they had photo cropped some Calafiori locks on Mikel.
I also observed this and had to look twice!
Hahaha
Wanted to write the same thing :)))
At first I thought they had photoshopped a ‘Calafiori’ onto him!
A wonderful coincidence.
I did a double take. Thought Arteta had gone to extraordinary lengths as a manager and grown his has hair to make the lad feel welcome.
From this short clip he speaks really good English for an Italian who’s just arrived, seems like a charming lad too. And I really like his build and stature, looks already strong and athletic even being so young, which makes me feel like he should integrate really quickly. Pumped to see our new back 4 in action!
Bit of Maldini about him, left back/central defender big strong, maybe a bit of Pirlo, in midfield when needed, like signing 3 players 🤞🤞👍⚽
Loved his almost starstruck energy and comment asking is this real. Arsenal is a BIG club, never forget that!
Love how much he wanted to come and clearly so happy to be with us! What we want from every signing 💪❤
COYG
Exactly. No bidding wars and unnecessary media coverage to drive up his price.
Now get a striker
It’s funny it sounds like he kept refreshing Arsenal transfer news every 5 min like us. “Is it real, is it finally real?”
Haha. Seems to have a nice attitude, and a solid level of spoken English from the start. Fingers crossed this fellow can ‘do great things’ with us.
“We welcome Adonis and his family to Arsenal.”
Fixed!
WHERE IS THE NUMBER STORY BLOGS?!?!?!
Richard di Pfeffelo Cauliflower, 33rd Viscount of Ashburton Grove
Anyone else thought Mikel had grown his hair out?
Welcome Calafiori. I’ve never learnt to pronounce a name so fast in my life. His detractors will probably call him calamari but jokes on them cuz calamari is delicious.
Also big up Allen for the trivia worthy information in this article.
“Finally it’s real”. Welcome, Riccardo.
This is a poster signing – 22 years old, perfect age for our policy, breakout player with huge potential, the right physical profile (compare with Martinez at United), and that classic Italian defender look.
in which position will Calafiori play??
No one really knows under Arteta. Could be a left CB in a back four or back three, could be a left fullback, could be an attacking wing back, could be a 6. But wherever he plays he will be a sight to behold as he gallops forward with the ball at his feet locks flowing in the wind.
Left back
Arteta looks like he’s got a mullet at first glance of the top picture
Assume he will be the starting left defender and Timber and Tomiyasu will be the primary backups on the backline, though could definitely see Timber working his way into the starting lineup. Timber is coming off of the ACL injury a year ago so luckily will not need to play 90 minutes every match and Arteta has been playing him at center defender which has limited his having to run up and down. With Calafiori and Timber back we have greatly strengthened what already was the top defense in the league last year and given even more flexibility to Arteta… Read more »
My God, he’s a beautiful man. And I’m married with 3 kids.
Did you really have to go and marry 3 kids though…
Welcome aboard, Dicko!!!
This is excellent from Billy Carpenter. Deep dive.
https://billycarpenter.substack.com/p/scouting-riccardo-calafiori
Reading anything about “career-threatening knee injury” related events turns my outie into an innie…
Welcome Home Big Cala 🔥