Arsenal have completed the signing of 22-year-old defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna in an effort to bolster their squad ahead of the Premier League title race.
The Gunners started negotiations with the Italian, following his dominant performance in the European Championship,
Earlier reports claim that the towering Italian defender attracted interests from Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid. However, the 22-year-old has now officially signed for the Gunners after over a month of negotiations.
Calafiori signed a five year deal which will keep him at the club till 2029. The precise transfer fee has not been revealed, although it is estimated to be roughly €45 million.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on Calafiori signing
Following his move, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had this to say:
“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.”
With Calafiori’s addition, Mikel Arteta’s side is expected to build on the previous season’s impressive performance.
The Italian defender, recognized for his versatility have played as a left back and a left center back in previous times and appears to be valuable acquisition for the Gunners.
