Perry Groves like many Arsenal fans is giving the thumbs up to Arsenal’s incoming transfer deal.
Mikel Arteta’s team haven’t brought in a senior face into their squad yet, with pre-season underway and the team out in the USA.
Everyone has their opinion on what Arsenal do or don’t need ahead of the new Premier League season and trying to dethrone the might of Manchester City.
Some instantly point towards the striker spot, such as Stewart Robson telling Arsenal to sign the ‘remarkable’ Ivan Toney.
But others point towards the middle of the park – only last summer the Gunners paid a club-record transfer for Declan Rice.
Yes, the England international, who is now enjoying his holidays after reaching the final of Euro 2024, did improve the team, but that Granit Xhaka figure is still missing.
Then there is the backline. Arsenal had the best defence during the recently concluded Premier League campaign and it would be a hard part of the pitch to enhance.
The other issue with all of this is how much money can the London club actually spend and is it time for Edu Gaspar to get creative?
It seems as though that is happening because sources have told HITC that Arsenal have agreed a fee in principle with Bologna for Riccardo Calafiori.
Perry Groves is excited by this incoming transfer and how he is a ‘very good’ fit for the team, as he told talkSPORT (23/07/24 at 1:40 pm).
The former Gooner described the Italy international as a ‘premium’ player because you don’t get many left-sided defenders.
Riccardo Calafiori set to join Arsenal
“Very good fit because left-sided defenders, whether it be centre-halves or left-backs are a premium, aren’t they now?” said Groves. “So, that balances your team a lot better.
“He can play as a left-sided centre-half. You have Saliba and Gabriel. Kiwior played a couple of games in there and he did okay. But he’s not on that level. You don’t want that drop-off. I think Calafiori wouldn’t be the drop-off. He can play at left-back. He can get forward. He is good enough technically because Arteta likes to play the inverted Zinchenko role.
“But you couldn’t play Zinchenko because he couldn’t be trusted against the top teams. When you are dominating possession, then Zinchenko is okay. You have Jurrien Timber who is going to come back. He will be fit.”
Who will leave if Riccardo Calafiori joins Arsenal?
Arsenal have Jurrien Timber returning from his long-term injury and he is going to feel like a new signing.
It means that Arteta is stacked in the defensive department, with someone bound to leave.
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Arsenal have been told to ‘keep’ Jakub Kiwior and sell their £32 million player instead, with the Polish star linked with a move away from the club.
Then there are the attacking players. The ‘very gifted’ Emile Smith Rowe has been tipped to join Arsenal’s London rivals, with the Hale-End star possibly being another source for the club to make some valuable money.
All in all, it’s about trying to get over that finishing line after Arsenal were pipped to the Premier League title on the last day of the previous campaign.
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