Arsenal is currently considering signing Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori, who had a standout performance at the European Championship with the Italian national team. The recruitment team at Arsenal has been impressed by Calafiori, who made 33 appearances and earned his first call-up to the Italian national team during the season with Bologna. However, he was suspended for the round of 16 knockout tie against Switzerland, which resulted in Italy’s 2-0 loss.
Bologna finished fifth in Serie A, and Calafiori played in all three of Italy’s group stage games at Euro 2024. While Juventus is a prominent contender, there are several other teams interested in Calafiori. Giovanni Sartori, the technical director of Bologna, stated that they would like to keep him but will consider any serious offers that may come their way.
If Arsenal decides to pursue Calafiori, it could raise questions about the future of Poland center-back Jakub Kiwior at the club. Kiwior joined Arsenal from Spezia in January last year and has been linked to a return to Italy in recent months. The potential acquisition of Calafiori by Arsenal could add further uncertainty to Kiwior’s tenure at the club.