Mikel Arteta calls Riccardo Calafiori “a great personality” as deal confirmed
Arsenal confirmed the signing of Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna on Monday with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta full of praise for the new member of his squad.
The North London club acquired the Italy international as part of a £42m deal with the Serie A side and the 22-year-old has signed a five-year contract at the Premier League club until 2029.
The signing of Calafiori will strengthen Arsenal's defense further ahead of the 2024/25 campaign and his versatility will be key for Arteta throughout the season. The Italian is a centre-back but can also play on the left-back, which is where he will play.
The former Bologna player will return after an impressive season with the Italian club as the 22-year-old made 30 Serie A appearances, scoring two goals and assisting a further five as a player. Rossoblu qualified for the Champions League this season.
This was followed by impressive displays at Euro 2024 in Italy and his performances in Germany may have prompted Arsenal to officially sign the player.
One man more than happy to get Calafiori's deal over the line is his new boss and Arteta was full of praise for the player when his arrival was announced.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta calls Riccardo Calafiori a “great personality”
Speaking about Calafiori as part of Arsenal's official announcement of the defender, Arteta was full of praise for the 22-year-old talent.
“We welcome Ricardo and his family to Arsenal. He is a very good player and gives us a lot of strength to strengthen our defence,” the Gunners boss told Arsenal's press team.
“Riccardo has a great personality and character, with certain skills that will make us stronger as we push to win major trophies. He has already shown great improvement in recent seasons with his performances for both Bologna and Italy, and his progress and development over the past year has been truly remarkable.
“We look forward to working with Riccardo, integrating him into the squad, and supporting him in the years to come.”
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