Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has no regrets after joining Mikel Arteta’s project in the summer.
Edu Gaspar and Arteta were desperate to acquire the Italian from Bologna, with their feelings made even stronger after Euro 2024.
Calafiori was one of the standout performers at the tournament, leading Arsenal to pay £42m to secure the 22-year-old’s signature in July.
The Gunners haven’t looked back after signing the Italy international, who shares a mutual feeling towards his new club.
- READ MORE: What Italy’s media honestly felt about Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori after watching him vs Israel
Riccardo Calafiori shares Mikel Arteta verdict
Arteta will be relieved to know that Calafiori got through the October international break unscathed, featuring in both of Italy’s Nations League fixtures.
The defender came up against Belgium and Israel on duty, playing 90 minutes of both matches in a back three.
Calafiori shared his verdict on Leandro Trossard ahead of facing his Arsenal teammate and also opened up about working with Arteta.
Speaking to the media on international duty alongside Luciano Spalletti, the versatile talent hinted at why he’s the perfect fit for Arsenal when comparing the work of Arteta and his national team coach.
“The constant with the coach [Spalletti] and Arteta is that we want and try to dominate the game through play.
“These are the things that connect these two coaches. I certainly agree with both because it’s always better to approach a match this way than to have to suffer against the opponents.”
Calafiori’s desire to fit the two manager’s style of play is clear through his actions on the pitch, being a crucial member of both the Italy and Arsenal squads.
Arsenal will have no regrets about signing Calafiori
Arteta plays the football that Calafiori appreciates, reinforcing why Edu and the boss acquired his signature in the summer.
The Italian had to wait for his chance to be considered a starter at Arsenal, with the 22-year-old now giving Arteta a slight selection headache with Ben White and Jurrien Timber in mind.
After the weaknesses that the Gunners had on the left side of defence last season, it’s a dilemma that the manager will welcome.
The early verdict on Calafiori from an Arsenal point of view is overly positive, with the player’s evaluation of Arteta sharing a similar light.
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