It has been a quiet window so far for the Gunners, although developments on the recruitment front are starting to heat up.
So, which transfer has Mikel Arteta now approved at Arsenal? Let’s take a look…
Mikel Arteta approves Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal
Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Arsenal have made an proposal to Bologna No.33 Riccardo Calafiori.
The reliable Italian journalist states that the central defender is happy to join Arsenal if the Gunners can agree a fee with the Serie A outfit, while Chelsea are also in talks to sign him.
Romano adds that Arteta has approved the signing of Calafiori from a shortlist of three defensive targets, and Bologna have asked for €50m (£42m) to sell the Italy international.
For those Arsenal fans who are concerned about the prospect of Chelsea winning the race to sign Calafiori, there is a key detail.
Romano also mentions that Arsenal and Bologna have a fantastic relationship, following the successful negotiations which saw Takehiro Tomiyasu move to the Emirates Stadium in a £17m deal back in August 2021.
How the Italy international could fit in at the Emirates Stadium
Arsenal fans might be questioning where Calafiori will fit into Arteta’s backline, as the Spaniard already has a formidable duo in Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.
In our view, the 22-year-old could be used as an inverted left-back, similar to how Jakub Kiwior was deployed at times last season, and also similar to how Ben White, who used to play centrally, operates on the right nowadays.
Calafiori is an exquisite dribbler of the ball for a robust 6ft 2in defender, impressively providing five assists – while also scoring two goals – for Bologna last season with his marauding runs forward.
You only need to look at the Italian’s superb run and weight of pass for Mattia Zaccagni’s 98th minute equaliser against Croatia in Group B to see what he can do against a low block.
Be sure to keep an eye on this situation, as other Italian journalists – namely Tancredi Palmeri – believe Arsenal are definitely going to sign Calafiori soon…
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