Former Serie A defender shares how Arsenal target Riccardo Calafiori has shocked him

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Former Serie A defender Romano Perticone has shared how Riccardo Calafiori has shocked him with the Italian continuing to be heavily linked with a move to Arsenal in the summer transfer window.

Arsenal are very much in the frame to sign Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna, with Mikel Arteta seemingly keen to secure more depth at the heart of his defence.

Fabrizio Romano reported that Arsenal are planning to hold further talks with Bologna and Calafiori about a potential move to the Emirates this summer, with the Serie A side looking for around £42.3 million for the 22-year-old.

But, unsurprisingly, Arsenal are not the only side showing interest in Calafiori, with AC Milan also admirers of the youngster, who was involved in all of Italy’s group-stage games at Euro 2024.

How Riccardo Calafiori has shocked former Serie A defender

Speaking to Calciomercato.It, Romano Perticone – who began his career with the Rossoneri – suggested that he would love to see Paulo Fonseca bring Calafiori to San Siro in this window, as he offers something Milan do not already have in his view.

“You would also need a player with great technical skills in that department. Tomori and Thiaw are very good, very strong and great team profiles, but in Milan, today, there is no one like Calafiori, with that ability with the ball between his feet,” he said.

“It shocked me, I hadn’t seen someone like him in several years, with that personality, that courage, that anger when he doesn’t have the ball, top player characteristics. Madness that the Italians don’t want to spend on him? No, it was madness that he was at the Bologna and that he ended up around instead of continuing to grow up at Roma. If I had to take a defender I would definitely go on him, even if now it is easy to say and even if there are other solid and reliable players such as Buongiorno, who together with him and Scalvini is one of our three best prospects”.

Could Mikel Arteta be considering another ruthless decision within his Arsenal squad?

Of course, Calafiori is potentially facing a daunting challenge should he decide to move to the Emirates this summer, as William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes formed one of the best partnerships in the Premier League.

Calafiori can also play at left-back, and that has been an issue for Arsenal over the last 12 months, so perhaps Arteta sees the Italian as someone who can fill that void.

But perhaps there is a chance that Arteta is considering another ruthless decision this summer – the kind which saw Aaron Ramsdale lose his place to David Raya when it appeared that he had stamped his authority on the number one position.

Gabriel did not start the opening few games of last season, so Arteta has at least thought about a change in that position previously.