He emerged as a standout player in Euro 2024 and might soon join Arsenal’s defensive lineup. Here’s a look at why Mikel Arteta’s team could gain from Riccardo Calafiori’s potential arrival.
How old is Riccardo Calafiori?
22
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There’s much to be said about enhancing yourself from a position of strength.
Although Arsenal fell short of clinching the Premier League title to Manchester City last season, their challenge was built on a robust defense.
They conceded just 29 goals, the fewest in England’s top flight by a margin of five. Their expected goals against (xGA) total of 28.4 was also the lowest among teams in Europe’s top five leagues.
It’s no surprise, then, that their first major transfer target of the summer is a defender.
From Unknown to In-Demand: Calafiori’s Meteoric Rise and Potential Move to Arsenal
Riccardo Calafiori is reportedly nearing a move from Bologna for an estimated £42 million, a significant rise for a player who joined the Serie A club from Swiss side FC Basel for less than £3.5m just a year ago.
Outside of Italy, Calafiori wasn’t widely known before this summer’s Euro 2024 tournament, but he quickly drew attention.
At 22 years and 27 days old when he played in Italy’s opener against Albania, he became the second-youngest Italy defender to appear in a European Championship match, following Paolo Maldini (19 years, 350 days).
Calafiori shone in the 2-1 victory, completing 99 of 106 passes (93.4%), succeeding in both of his dribble attempts, winning six of nine duels, including all three of his aerial duels, and regaining possession five times.
Italy struggled overall in their second game against Spain, failing to contain the dynamic wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal. Unfortunately, Calafiori found himself at the center of attention. After another dribble and cross from Williams, Gianluigi Donnarumma deflected the ball straight into Calafiori’s legs, resulting in an own goal that decided the match.
In Italy’s crucial final Group B game against Croatia, Luka Modric’s goal seemed poised to leave Spalletti’s team in third place, forcing them to hope for a spot in the last 16 rather than securing it outright.
Then, with a goal looking improbable for Italy, Calafiori made a decisive move in the final minute of the eight added on at the end of the game. He picked up the ball from Donnarumma, drove through the Croatian midfield, played a one-two with Davide Frattesi, and delivered a perfectly weighted pass to his left before being taken down by Josip Sutalo. This allowed an unmarked Mattia Zaccagni to score a crucial equalizer, confirming Italy’s spot in the round of 16.
Calafiori was in tears at the final whistle, relieved to have redeemed himself after his unfortunate own goal in the loss to Spain.
“I honestly don’t know where I got the energy from,” Calafiori said after the match. “It was a really tough game. I needed to give something to this team that welcomed me so well, I didn’t want to end the journey here, so I wanted to give something positive.”
“I couldn’t even think, I was just so happy. More than anything, it was all the emotions I felt inside me over the last few days, as I didn’t have time to process [the own goal] because we had to focus on the next match. It just came out.”
“I wanted to make up for the own goal and make a positive contribution.”
It wasn’t all good news, though. Earlier in the game, Calafiori received a yellow card, his second of the tournament, resulting in his suspension for Italy’s last-16 defeat to Switzerland. While he might not have significantly impacted the match in Berlin, given the Swiss team’s commanding 2-0 victory, Spalletti’s side certainly missed his presence.
Calafiori’s Impact at Bologna and Potential Fit at Arsenal
Calafiori had already garnered attention in Italy prior to his Euro 2024 performances. Thiago Motta had made him a key player in his impressive Bologna team, which defied expectations to finish fifth in Serie A last season and secure a spot in the 2024-25 Champions League.
Calafiori played a significant role in Bologna’s achievements. Among Serie A defenders in 2023-24 with at least 10 appearances, he ranked fifth for interceptions per 90 minutes (1.9), second for recoveries per 90 (7.5), ninth for passes per 90 (68.6), 14th for duel success (63.1%), and joint-fourth for overall assists (5).
His partnership with Sam Beukema was particularly strong; they started 15 of Bologna’s 38 Serie A games together at center-back, with their 10 wins being the most of any CB pairing in the division last season (D3 L2).
The difference with and without Calafiori in the team was stark. He featured in 30 Serie A games last season, during which Bologna won 16 and lost just three (D11), averaging 1.6 goals per game, 0.8 goals against, and 2.0 points per game. In the eight games without Calafiori, they won just two, drew three, and lost three, with an average of 0.8 goals per game, 1.0 goals against, and only 1.1 points per game. It should be noted, though, that those games missed included clashes with Inter, Milan, and Juventus (D1 L2).
During the group stage of Euro 2024, only four defenders made more interceptions than Calafiori’s six, while 14 recorded more recoveries than his 13. He excelled in the air, winning seven of nine aerial duels in his three games. Only Joshua Kimmich (9) and Jules Koundé (5) created more chances from open play among defenders than his four.
If Calafiori completes his move to Arsenal, it will be intriguing to see whether he primarily plays as a left-back or a left-sided center-back. Comparing his performance last season to Gabriel Magalhães, it would represent a significant change in approach for Calafiori to replace the Brazilian as William Saliba’s regular center-back partner. Gabriel averaged only 0.2 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season, much fewer than Calafiori’s 0.8, while Calafiori created 0.6 chances from open play compared to Gabriel’s 0.1.
Calafiori: A Versatile Addition to Arsenal’s Defensive Lineup
It would be unusual for Arteta to disrupt arguably the best defensive pairing in the Premier League, and it’s hard to imagine Calafiori being content as a backup. However, he would certainly be an excellent option when Saliba or Gabriel are unavailable.
This suggests that left-back could be Calafiori’s regular position if he moves to Arsenal. Arteta has previously transitioned Ben White from a center-back to a right-back, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him try something similar with Calafiori on the left. Calafiori has played left-back before, even though he was mainly used as a center-back by Bologna and by Spalletti at the Euros.
When comparing Calafiori to Arsenal’s main left-back options, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior, in league games last season, he averaged almost identical dribble numbers to the Ukrainian (0.8 per 90) and more than the Pole (0.5). He also made more interceptions (1.9 compared to 1.1 and 0.8, respectively) and recoveries (7.5 compared to 5.4 and 3.3, respectively).
Additionally, he was dribbled past less frequently on a per-90-minute basis (0.4 compared to Zinchenko’s 0.9 and Kiwior’s 0.5). However, it should be noted that full-backs are generally dribbled at more often than center-backs.
Comparisons to Maldini were inevitable given his nationality and appearance, but Calafiori has insisted that it is an English defender whose style he most closely resembles.
His tendency to move into midfield is reminiscent of John Stones’ role at the club level, and Calafiori has named the Manchester City defender as his “reference.”
“His style of play is closest to mine,” Calafiori said. “Stones is my reference. It’s not off the cuff when I go into midfield. It’s following the guidelines of the coach. He saw me in this role. I’ve learned so much from him. The coach [Motta] is revolutionary, smart, demanding and clear in what he wants.”
This wouldn’t be the first time Arteta has signed a player in the Manchester City mold for his Arsenal side, having previously acquired Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus directly from City. While Calafiori only models his game after another City player, it wouldn’t be surprising if having their own ‘Stones’ is a significant reason the North London side has targeted him.
We’ll let you make your own jokes about Arsenal finally having the “Stones” to win the Premier League.
Wherever Calafiori plays for Arsenal, it appears the club is striving to make the strongest defense in the Premier League even stronger. But will it be enough to finally bridge the gap to Manchester City?
