Bologna’s position on Riccardo Calafiori hasn’t altered, and Arsenal knows why things are taking so long. This is the transfer news.
Riccardo Calafiori is still waiting to complete his move to Arsenal this summer (Image: Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Ciancaphoto Studio/Getty Images)
Regarding Riccardo Calafiori, Bologna is not going to take any crap this summer, especially after losing their manager and leading scorer from the previous campaign. The Serie A overachievers are unwilling to let go of another player without a battle, having already seen two important members of their outstanding 2023–24 lineup depart.
It should come as no surprise to Arsenal, who began negotiations with the Italian team many weeks ago while Calafiori was still playing at Euro 2024. Before he could say “pre-season” or “holiday,” the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder joined Juventus, forcing Bologna to appoint a replacement for him at the head of the team.
Not long after it was revealed that Joshua Zirkzee, the line leader who scored 11 goals in the league while dishing out four assists in the previous campaign, would also be leaving. Bologna took advantage of the 23-year-old and even obtained a little bit more than what Manchester United had stipulated as his release clause.
As a result, they do not have financial difficulties. Furthermore, despite the fact that each individual agreement with Calafiori is unique, no further agreement has been made between the clubs.
Football.london is aware that the deal’s structure and pricing are still the primary concerns. Calafiori’s old club Basel must forfeit a significant portion of any compensation to Bologna; nevertheless, Calafiori’s stock has increased recently due to his efforts at Euro 2024. To now, Arsenal has not been able to present a proposal that satisfies Bologna’s requirements.
When Italian media approached Bologna chairman Claudio Fenucci as he was getting into his car, he was unable to provide any updates, so the silence between late June and today has been telling. “No news,” was all he said. Arsenal’s advantage is that they continue to be the most sophisticated.
Juventus and other European clubs expressed interest in Fenucci, but the player stated that he “hadn’t heard from” the Old Lady. Furthermore, rather than selling up, the goal has always been to develop around Calafiori despite the attention he has been receiving.
Technical director Giovanni Sartori stated earlier this month, “We took him [Calafiori] 12 months ago, so we’ll see what happens in the market, but there is the will to keep him.” “We will make every effort to retain him, but we must examine any significant offers that come our way. I doubt he’ll sign with Juventus; he’ll most likely go to another market.”
He has been validated thus far. Although there have been offers, the team has not yet given in to Arsenal’s and other parties’ demands. This was always going to be the case for Arsenal, particularly when Zirkzee went on.
“He will leave 99.9% because he has a clause,” Sartori said in reference to the Dutchman. “Substitute? It’s been on our minds for several months. Although it won’t be simple, we have some names and will attempt to replace him.”
The fact that Arsenal could not finish Calafiori before Zirkzee left has somewhat left them scrambling. Furthermore, Bologna is fighting for actual compensation in exchange for Arsenal, even though they would have loved to maintain both players and Motta.
