New Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori will be an ideal fit for Mikel Arteta’s philosophy due to his similarity with one other Premier League star.
Arsenal officially confirmed the signing of Riccardo Calafiori yesterday.
Mikel Arteta will be delighted to finally have the 22-year-old at the club, and knows what he is getting with the new arrival.
Arteta pushed hard to get the Calafiori deal done, as the Spanish coach clearly understands the nature of the player in question.
The Italy international is something of a rarity. He is a very modern defender, versatile, and entirely comfortable with the ball at his feet. Calafiori is happy to drive forward out of defence, carrying the ball into midfield and beyond.
Due to his ability to do this, Calafiori has been likened to Manchester City star John Stones, who is known for the progressive nature of his play on the ball.
Arsenal signing Riccardo Calafiori likened to John Stones
Calafiori and Stones certainly share similarities in their game, and that is more than a mere coincidence.
As reported by The Athletic: “Stones is the player Calafiori got compared to most last season.
Calafiori himself has admitted: “His style of play is closest to mine. Stones is my reference. It’s not off the cuff when I go into midfield. It’s following the guidelines of the coach.”
Under the management of both Luciano Spalletti at international level and Thiago Motta at Bologna, Calafiori was encouraged to embrace his attacking instincts and be aggressive and front-footed when in possession.
Calafiori stated: “The gaffer is revolutionary, smart, demanding and clear in what he wants.”
The Athletic then noted: “Arteta is too.”
How Mikel Arteta will use Calafiori at Arsenal
Arteta at Arsenal and Pep Guardiola at Manchester City have both leaned towards a new look back four setup recently. In essence, as often as possible, they are playing four centre-backs across the back line.
Ben White started his career in the heart of the defence but is now the Gunners’ established right-back. Meanwhile, Jurrien Timber, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Jakub Kiwior are all players capable of playing at left-back and centre-back, whilst the more diminutive Oleksandr Zinchenko has slipped down the pecking order.
Calafiori is expected to feature most regularly for Arsenal at left-back. He has the stature and physicality of a centre-back, but the technical ability and attacking instincts of a full-back. The same can be said of White on the opposite flank, and Stones at the Etihad Stadium.
This defensive setup allows both Arsenal and Manchester City to field sides that are remarkably defensively solid, present a huge physical barrier to opponents, but still have attacking impetus. The challenge comes, though, in finding players who suit the system, as such defenders are rare.
The Gunners have got one more such defender now in Calafiori.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
