Arsenal fans eagerly await their club to bring in that marquee signing ahead of the new Premier League season.
Even if you are used to your club signing top player after top player, you still have the excitement levels of a new player coming in again.
When the 2023/24 Premier League season ended, there would have been certain areas of the pitch that Arsenal fans would have felt didn’t need enhancing.
One of them was the backline because they had the best defence in England’s top-flight and the second-best attack.
However, all of this wasn’t enough as Arsenal were beaten to the Premier League title by Manchester City on the final day of the season.
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And now, Arteta needs to go again, with the Gunners looking to enhance their backline even further, despite the strong performances of the previous campaign.
When you are up against a trophy-winning machine like Manchester City, you need at least two high-quality players for each position and it seems as though they are about to do that.
Sources have told HITC that Arsenal have agreed a fee in principle with Bologana for Riccardo Calafiori.
Craig Burley thinks this is ‘really, really good business’ from the London club and that it isn’t crazy money for his talents, as he told ESPN.
However, Fabio Capello did recently state that Calafiori’s Arsenal deal was a ‘shame’ as he rued Juventus’ failure, but it was the loss of some of Italy’s biggest clubs, is the gain of the Premier League giants.
Arsenal set to sign Riccardo Calafiori
“It’s a lot of money, but it’s not crazy,” said Burley. “He is a good age, he has good experience and he is a very, very good player. And he can play in a couple of different positions, at least, at minimum.
“I think this is good business again – for that kind of money, for a player of that quality and this age. I think it’s really, really good business.
“Effectively, you could have four centre-halves across that back four – we have seen managers do that before. I think he is looking for more solidity to allow this midfield and very attacking front line and wide players, just to give them more of a freedom to go and play.”
Does Riccardo Calafiori start for Arsenal?
The 22-year-old did very well at Euro 2024, even if his own country struggled and failed to defend their crown.
But you question if Calafiori starts for Arsenal straightaway?
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Arsenal have been urged to keep Jakub Kiwior and sell Oleksandr Zinchenko ahead of the new campaign, with both players able to deploy that role.
Then there is Jurrien Timber, who will feel like a new signing after his season-ending injury, and you suspect he will be challenging Calafiori for a starting spot.
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