Arsenal are primed to finalise a transfer for Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori, so Arsenal Insider has looked into boss Mikel Arteta’s dream potential XI for the 2024/25 season.
The summer transfer window has seen an array of players linked with moves to Arsenal with Arteta keen to improve his side. Back-to-back silver medals in the Premier League table have left the Spaniard seeking the last pieces of the puzzle who can finally bring a title back to N5.
It is now 20 years since Arsene Wenger led the Invincibles to the last Premier League title in Arsenal’s trophy cabinet. Yet Arteta oversaw a club-record 91 goals in 2023/24 and even the club’s best defensive record since the 2003/04 season with 29 goals allowed in 38 games.
Arteta believes he needs further reinforcements at the back, nonetheless. So, Arsenal are on course to sign Calafiori from Bologna with the 22-year-old due for a medical in north London on July 26. Arsenal have agreed to pay Bologna an initial £34m, plus up to £4m in add-ons.
READ MORE: Arsenal 24/25 confirmed signings, transfers in and out, loan exits and releases
The deal to bring Calafiori to Emirates Stadium will give Arteta greater depth at centre-back but also left-back. His versatility could also give Arteta some selection dilemmas. So, Arsenal Insider has looked at what Arteta’s dream 24/25 XI can look like once Arsenal sign Calafiori…
Riccardo Calafiori will join seven undroppable players in the 24/25 Arsenal XI
There are a number of positions in Arsenal’s XI which pick themselves and leave zero doubts for Arteta’s dream line-up. Firstly, having completed his permanent transfer, David Raya will remain Arsenal’s No1 after winning the Premier League’s Golden Glove award while on loan.
Most of the Gunners’ defence is even nailed on with right-back Ben White beside two of the Premier League’s best centre-halves, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard are also indispensable players in Arteta’s dream XI from Arsenal’s midfield.
Another undroppable player occupies Arsenal’s right-wing spot in Bukayo Saka, too. So, only three positions are really debatable in Arteta’s dream XI once Calafiori joins as he is likely to take up Arsenal’s problematic left-back spot. No player could nail down the role last season.
Jurrien Timber sustaining an ACL injury on his Premier League debut last August put Arteta’s plans in the bin. The Dutchman started last term at left-back with Oleksandr Zinchenko also recovering from injury. Takehiro Tomiyasu’s injury woes even saw Jakub Kiwior have to fill in.
Mikel Arteta faces decisions on Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard
Arteta now sees Calafiori joining Arsenal primarily as a left-back and rounding out his dream backline. But further decisions await in the Gunners’ midfield, including the role Rice claims, and their attack. Rice ended last season playing mainly on the left of Arsenal’s midfield trio.
But with Arsenal now in talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a loan-to-buy transfer for Fabian Ruiz, Rice faces returning to a deep-lying position. The Spaniard, who won Euro 2024, would bring precision passing which matches what Odegaard offers from the right of their midfield.
READ MORE: Arsenal squad numbers 2024/25 and the history of each shirt
Question marks also linger over who joins Saka in Arsenal’s attack with Arteta still interested in signing a new striker. But he is likely to at least start the new term with Kai Havertz as the No9 after offering eight of his 13 Premier League goals over 13 outings as a striker last term.
Havertz even scored those eight goals across 11 of Arsenal’s final 13 matches, along with six assists. Similarly, Leandro Trossard finished last season strongly with five goals through their final eight games. So, the Belgian will expect to start 24/25 ahead of Gabriel Martinelli, too.
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