Arsenal are reportedly close to completing a deal for Bologna’s Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori in a deal expected to be worth £40million for the 22 year-old.
Calafiori impressed at Euro 2024 with his defensive solidity and ability on the ball , catching the eye of many onlookers, including Mikel Arteta. Let’s take a look at how Calafiori could be a key part in completing Arsenal’s defence as they look to overcome Manchester City after two seasons of coming up second best to Pep Guardiola’s men.
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Versatility
Capable of playing both centre back and left back, Calafiori represents the perfect solution for Mikel Arteta, who was often forced to play his main starters more frequently than he would have liked last season.
William Saliba and Gabriel were imperious last season and avoided injury for the majority of the year, but Arteta will be mindful that both players played big parts in France and Brazil’s international campaigns this summer and will be at risk of burnout if they are overworked.
Calafiori provides a strong rotation option at centre half, but we expect him to play the majority of his football at left back for The Gunners.
With Oleksandr Zinchenko unreliable defensively and Takehiro Tomiyasu often injured, Calafiori could be the perfect option – he is as no-nonsense as you’d expect from an Italian centre half, but possesses quality and flair on the ball in abundance.
Physical stature
It has been no secret that Mikel Arteta has been keen on filling his defensive line with big bodies – Saliba, Gabriel and Ben White are all well over the 6 foot mark and Calafiori is in the same boat at 6 foot 2.
Arsenal’s soft underbelly was often the reason for them falling short in title races, but with a back four made up of young, solid defensive characters protected by Declan Rice, they can grow together and finally bring Arsenal fans the glory that they’ve been waiting for for over two decades.
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