£34m Arsenal star is now at risk of getting suspended unless he does one thing

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Arsenal have had a great start to the new Premier League season, and many of their players have been brilliant.

Mikel Arteta has a strong squad with eight new signings, and he has used his players very well over the last few months.

One of the biggest surprises of the season so far is that Riccardo Calafiori has been preferred to Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back.

That, however, could change in the coming weeks.

Arsenal star Riccardo Calafiori is at risk of a suspension

Calafiori has been one of Arsenal’s best players this season.

The Italy international spent most of last campaign either injured or on the bench, but Arteta has put his full faith in him this term.

Calafiori started the season brilliantly, with a goal and a clean sheet against Manchester United at Old Trafford. He has been incredible since, but there is a big negative.

The former Bologna man has picked up three yellow cards in the Premier League in his first seven games.

If that number goes up to five before the end of the year, the Arsenal defender will face a one-match suspension.

To avoid that, Calafiori, who joined Arsenal for £34 million in 2024, can only receive one more booking in his next 12 games, which feels difficult considering his start to the season.

Riccardo Calafiori suspension risk could give opportunities to two Arsenal players

Arteta will have to be smart with how he uses Calafiori in the coming weeks. The last thing he needs is a suspension.

That could be good news – not just for Lewis-Skelly but for summer signing Piero Hincapie as well.

The Ecuador international is expected to be fit after the international break, and he, like Calafiori, can play at left-back and in central defence.

Injury has limited Hincapie to just one appearance in Arsenal’s colours, but with Calafiori at risk of a suspension, the Bayer Leverkusen loanee could get a few opportunities.

It will be interesting to see who Arteta will turn to first to replace the Italian – Hincapie or Lewis-Skelly.