After a lot of time and effort, Arsenal successfully signed defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna. So what does the Italian international have that makes the Gunners so fascinated and determined to bring him to Emirates?
When mentioning Calafiori, fans will immediately remember a defender with long, romantic Italian hair, reminiscent of legendary central defenders like Alessandro Nesta or Paolo Maldini. At EURO 2024, Calafiori was a rare bright spot in a dismal Italian team, and this is considered a stepping stone to bring him to Arsenal.
Calafiori’s most memorable moment was none other than the assist for Mattia Zaccagni to equalize 1-1 in the final round of the group stage, helping Italy eliminate Croatia. With the ball in their own half, the 22-year-old defender dribbled a few times and then coordinated a one-two with his teammates. He then ran a bit further before passing to Zaccagni. Calafiori’s exemplary handling created a goal that no other centre-back could have achieved.
Overall, Calafiori has been a key link for Italy, helping the Azzurri attack from the back. Notably, the defender showed incredible confidence on the ball rather than being shy, despite only being in the Italy squad for the friendly against Turkey in June.
It would be unfair to say that Calafiori only started to be good in an Italian shirt. In fact, the 22-year-old defender played very well for Bologna last season, helping coach Thiago Motta’s side qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 60 years. The problem is that no one paid attention to Calafiori, and his performance at EURO 2024 became the perfect pitch.
Calafiori appeals to Arsenal because he is left-footed, comfortable on the ball and very versatile. The Italian international can play as a centre-back in a back three or four, or even as a left-back. At Arsenal, manager Mikel Arteta used Oleksandr Zinchenko as a left-back, often pulling him forward to play as a midfielder.
However, towards the end of last season, Arteta preferred to use Jakub Kiwior on the left flank to help the club feel more secure defensively. Kiwior did well in interceptions, but he was limited in his ball-handling ability and was not comfortable pushing forward into the middle. Calafiori is no stranger to this, having often moved into midfield for Bologna.
Calafiori is a passer of the ball, able to carry the ball or play a through ball from either centre-back (left or right). This is a limitation for Gabriel, who became a trusted partner to William Saliba last season. Calafiori’s addition would therefore improve that aspect of the Gunners’ game in certain games.
If Arteta still wants to play both Gabriel and Calafiori, he could deploy the Italian at left-back. Left-back has long been the only position Arsenal have yet to perfect in defence. Zinchenko has declined over time, Kiwior is not all-rounder and Jurrien Timber can play there but he was a centre-back and right-back before being moved to the left.
With Calafiori, Arsenal could implement the trend of using four centre-backs in defence, similar to what Pep Guardiola did at Man City. Nathan Ake and Josko Gvardiol have played well when Pep moved out to the wing, and Calafiori could fulfil similar expectations at Arsenal. Calafiori is tall (1.88m), quick, good at tackling and looks comfortable in open spaces.
All in all, Calafiori would be a great addition to Arsenal’s jigsaw puzzle on paper. He is a modern, attacking-minded defender who is designed to fit into the increasingly popular back four.
