Bologna have rejected a player swap offer from Arsenal for Riccardo Calafiori, as Mikel Arteta continues to seek deal.
Arsenal are pushing hard to get the signing of Riccardo Calafiori over the line.
However, as things stand, the North London club have failed to reach an agreement with Bologna. Arsenal have agreed personal terms with Calafiori. The Italian defender is known to want to make the move to the Emirates Stadium. Calafiori even told Chelsea of his desire to join Arsenal, amid interest in his services from the Blues.
Until the two club can strike a deal, though, the 22-year-old will remain in Serie A. It would also seem that Mikel Arteta faces obstacles within the Emirates Stadium too, when it comes to getting this particular piece of business done. Arteta is still working on fully convincing the Arsenal hierarchy that Calafiori is worth pushing the boat out for.
Perhaps due to these reservations at the club, Arsenal have now tried a new approach to securing a deal for the Euro 2024 star.
Arsenal offer Jakub Kiwior in Riccardo Calafiori swap deal
As reported by Il Resto Del Carlino Sport, the Gunners’ latest offer to Bologna included Jakub Kiwior making the switch in the opposite direction, with Calafiori coming to Arsenal.
There is known to be several Italian clubs intent on signing Kiwior this summer. However, Bologna are evidently not one of them, as this offer was rejected, leaving Arsenal back at square one.
However, the aforementioned report also states that Bologna are not determined to stand in Calafiori’s way. They will allow him to leave this summer, as soon as their demands are met. This news will provide a silver lining for Arteta.
Bologna’s asking price for Calafiori is £43 million, and it seems increasingly likely that the Gunners will simply have to stump up that cash to get this deal done.
What Calafiori will bring to Arsenal
It is easy to see why Arteta is so keen on the 5-cap international, who caught the eye at Euro 2024. Given that he can play comfortably as both a left-back and a centre-back, he will offer much-needed cover and competition in these key positions.
Kiwior can also play both of these roles, but lacks Calafiori’s pace, aggression, and attacking instincts. Given the Italian essentially represents a straight upgrade on the Poland international, it makes sense to offer a swap deal so that the former can immediately become the latter’s direct replacement at Arsenal.
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