RIccardo Calafiori (foto: uradna spletna stran kluba)
Italian international Riccardo Calafiori has officially become a new member of Arsenal, signing a five-year contract with the club.
The English giant Arsenal confirmed today the arrival of Italian international defender Riccardo Calafiori, who moves to the Premier League following an outstanding season with Bologna.
The 22-year-old defender signed a five-year contract with Arsenal, with the transfer fee reported by English media to be 45 million euros. This makes Calafiori the most expensive player in Bologna's history, surpassing the previous record held by Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee, who recently transferred to Manchester United for 42.5 million euros.
Calafiori grew up in the youth academy of Roma. His senior football journey took an unusual turn when he transferred to Swiss club Basel in 2022. After just one season, he returned to Italy and became the leader of Bologna's defense, helping the club achieve an unexpected qualification for the Champions League for the first time in its history.
"We put a lot of effort into this transfer and are delighted to welcome Riccardo to our family. Riccardo fits our recruitment strategy perfectly. At 22, he is already very experienced, and we are confident he will quickly adapt to the standards we expect from an Arsenal player," said Arsenal's sporting director Edu.