Riccardo Calafiori names the Arsenal player who shocked him on his first ever day at the club

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Riccardo Calafiori joined Arsenal from Bologna in the summer of 2024.

The Italy international was wanted by several top clubs in Europe, but after Mikel Arteta spoke to him, he only wanted to join the Gunners.

Calafiori had a difficult debut season at the Emirates. Moving to a bigger club in a new country is never easy, and injuries didn’t help him either.

However, his teammates did, and one of them in particular left a lasting impression on the Azzurri defender – Declan Rice.

Fill the blanks: The year is 2030 and Declan Rice is now worth £____.

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Riccardo Calafiori explains why Declan Rice shocked him at Arsenal

Rice is one of Arsenal’s best players.

The England international joined the Gunners in a club-record deal from West Ham United in 2023, and he has rarely ever had a bad game since.

Rice has dominated the midfield at Arsenal, and he has improved his attacking game massively too. His numbers since joining the Premier League leaders have gone up consistently.

That is why many people think there is nothing Rice cannot do on the football pitch, and Riccardo Calafiori realised that on his very first day at Arsenal.

The former Bologna man has claimed that he was shocked by the midfielder because of his ability to do everything.

He said on Sports Illustrated FC: “The first one that shocked me when I arrived I think was Dec.

“Because you see him, he is the same height as me, more or less, a tall guy, strong guy, but then he’s fast, he’s top on the ball, his mentality (is top), and he’s also a good friend of mine.

“He really surprised me a lot.”

Riccardo Calafiori’s return could make Declan Rice better at Arsenal

Calafiori is arguably the most unpredictable player in the Premier League.

The Italian starts most games as a left-back, but you see him everywhere on the pitch. There have been times when he gets on the ball in the right-wing position, which is the complete opposite of where he should be.

However, Mikel Arteta has given him that licence because he knows that Calafiori’s movement will create chaos and open up space for others.

One player who could benefit is Rice. The Englishman has become a lot better in the final third, and with Calafiori dragging defenders away, there will be space for him to have an impact.

Rice has shown how he can score goals and provide assists from distance, and we think his game is going to go up a level now that Calafiori is back from his injury.