Bologna reject Arsenal swap deal offer and wait for Calafiori

Reports in Italy claim Bologna want Basel to lower their sell-on clause for Riccardo Calafiori and insist they won’t let the player join Arsenal for less than €50m, rejecting to include Jakub Kiwior in the deal.

Bologna expect Calafiori to start the pre-season with the team this month.

Il Resto del Carlino and Il Corriere dello Sport report that the 22-year-old will return to the club’s training centre on July 20 to start the pre-season with the Rossoblu unless his club accept an offer from the Gunners before.

Calafiori has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal, but Bologna haven’t yet given the green light to the transfer.

According to both Italian media outlets, Rossoblu want at least €50m plus add-ons, while Arsenal have matched the asking price only through the inclusion of performance-related bonuses.

Il Resto del Carlino reports that Arsenal’s latest offer for Calafiori is €45m plus €5m add-ons, still not enough for the Rossoblu.

The local newspaper adds that Bologna refused to include Jakub Kiwior in a player-plus-cash swap deal. They are interested in the Poland international but would only sign him on a separate deal.

It is also reported that Bologna are in talks with Basel to lower their sell-on clause, currently set at 50%.

Calafiori joined Bologna from Basel for just €4m last summer, but the Swiss club is entitled to get half the transfer fee from the defender’s next sale.