Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos has weighed in on Riccardo Calafiori.
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Real Madrid have made contact about Calafiori, with new manager Jose Mourinho personally identifying the Arsenal defender as a key target this summer.
Now, one of the club’s most celebrated former players has made an interesting claim about the Italian.
Roberto Carlos was tasked with rating current left-backs in a winner stays on format on Front Three.
When it came to Calafiori, Carlos rated Real Madrid’s own Alvaro Carreras above the Arsenal man, which might raise eyebrows.
However, given the Brazilian’s ties to Real Madrid, it is not really surprising. He even rates Carreras above PSG’s Nuno Mendes, who made the UEFA Champions League Team of the Season.
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Madrid paid Benfica €50million for Carreras last summer, and although he initially impressed, his position has been identified as an area of weakness by Mourinho.
Calafiori is admired by the club not just for his quality but also for his ability to play at both left-back and centre-back.
Arsenal will not be letting Riccardo Calafiori go easily
Riccardo Calafiori is one of the most unique defensive profiles in world football.
Mikel Arteta will not want to lose him, and Arsenal’s asking price will reflect that.
However, the 24-year-old’s time in north London has been disrupted with injuries, which have been a huge frustration.
Fortunately, Arsenal are well-stocked in that area, with Piero Hincapie and Myles Lewis-Skelly able to cover, but neither offer the kind of unpredictable final third threat that the Italian brings.
There is also the matter of finding a replacement. The club were tracking Nathaniel Brown from Eintracht Frankfurt, who would’ve been an interesting choice, but the Germany international has now verbally agreed to join Bayern Munich.
Finding a player who can replicate what Calafiori does, both in terms of quality and versatility, would be extraordinarily difficult.
Roberto Carlos rating Carreras above him changes nothing about the Italian’s value to Arsenal.
But with Mourinho asking for him personally and Real Madrid circling, there will be pressure on the Gunners to hold firm this summer.
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