Arsenal agree personal terms with Riccardo Calafiori with ‘monster’ bid accepted

Calafiori is heading for north London (Picture: Getty Images)

Bologna are ready to accept an offer of around €55million (£46.5m) from Arsenal for defender Riccardo Calafiori with the Italy defender ready to join the Gunners.

Calafiori, 22, has emerged as a top transfer target for both Arsenal and Chelsea following a superb campaign at Bologna, helping the Serie A side qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Despite Italy’s early exit from Euro 2024, the centre-half impressed in Germany with Arsenal now close to wrapping up a deal to bring him to the Premier League.

Corriere dello Sport report Bologna received a ‘monster’ offer of around €55m from Arsenal on Thursday night, one that is believed to have convinced the Serie A side to sell.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been eager to wrap up a deal quickly with Chelsea also interested and have now presented an offer which they feel will get the transfer over the line in rapid fashion.

The deal is now in the hands of Bologna president Joey Saputo and CEO Claudio Fenucci.

Arsenal have also agreed personal terms with Calafiori, who will quadruple his Bologna salary by making the move to north London. Arsenal have sanctioned a four-year deal for the defender, the report claims.

Arteta close to getting his man (Picture: AMA/Getty Images)

Earlier this week, Bologna’s technical director Giovanni Sartoria admitted Calafiori would likely leave the club if they receive an ‘important’ offer outside of Italy.

‘We took him 12 months ago, so we’ll see what happens in the market, but in our heads there is the will to keep him,’ Sartori said.

‘We will try to keep him, but if important offers arrive, we will have to take them into consideration.

‘I don’t think he will go to Juventus, he will probably go to a different market.’

Italy’s early exit has accelerated Arsenal’s move (Picture: DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Arsenal have one of the best centre-half pairings in the Premier League in William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães but the addition of Calafiori would an extra level of depth to a squad preparing to fight on four fronts this coming season.

Another attacking option is among Arsenal’s list of summer targets but the club have been looking to improve in ‘every department’ after narrowly missing out on the Premier League title last term.

‘We are looking to improve in every possible department,’ Arteta told ESPN this week.

‘With the new regulations, there are certain things we have to respect and be conscious of and then obviously the Euros and Copa America are slowing everything down. Hopefully now it is going to pick up a little bit.’

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