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Arsenal agree €40m transfer fee for 22-year-old Italian, signs 5-year deal

Arsenal agree €40m transfer fee for 22-year-old Italian, signs 5-year deal

Arsenal’s deal with Bologna for young left-back Riccardo Calafiori appears to be moving closer despite complications surrounding a sell-on clause with Calafiori’s former club, Basel.

Article Image: Arsenal pay €40m+ for 22-year-old Italian, signs 5-year deal

LEIPZIG, GERMANY – JUNE 24: Luka Modric of Croatia and Riccardo Calafiori of Italy compete for the ball during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Croatia and Italy at Leipzig Football Stadium on June 24, 2024 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images for FIGC)

On Friday, Bologna’s sporting director Claudio Fenucci confirmed that the stalemate between Arsenal and Bologna remains ongoing, stating: “There is no news from Arsenal,” indicating that the Gunners have not deviated from their initial offer. Arsenal’s bid, reportedly in the region of €45 million plus bonuses, would be below Bologna’s €50 million valuation.



24 hours later, Fabrizio Romano reports that an amount of €40 million plus €5 million in extras has been agreed.

At the time of writing, it is still unclear what exactly has changed.

Initially, the biggest problem with the deal was a sell-on clause in Calafiori’s contract. When Bologna signed the 22-year-old defender from Basel last year, the Swiss club added a clause that entitled them to 50% of future transfer profits. This meant that if Bologna were to sell Calafiori to Arsenal, a substantial portion would go to Basel, significantly reducing Bologna’s net profit.

Article Image: Arsenal pay €40m+ for 22-year-old Italian, signs 5-year deal

ISERLOHN, GERMANY – JUNE 23: Riccardo Calafiori of Italy looks on during an Italian training session at the Hemberg-Stadion on June 23, 2024 in Iserlohn, Germany. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images for FIGC)

This financial complication led Bologna to take a hard line in negotiations. They were initially unwilling to accept Arsenal’s lower offer, which would have given them a smaller profit margin after paying Basel their dues.

Calafiori remains keen on a move to Arsenal and is attracted by the prospect of working under Mikel Arteta. He has also reportedly agreed a five-year deal with the club. The Italian defender, who impressed in his first season at Bologna last season, sees Arsenal as the ideal platform to continue his career.

Article Image: Arsenal pay €40m+ for 22-year-old Italian, signs 5-year deal

BERLIN, GERMANY: Italy’s Riccardo Calafiori looks on ahead of the UEFA EURO 2024 round of 16 match between Switzerland and Italy at the Olympiastadion on June 29, 2024. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images for FIGC)

Now that the two clubs have reached an agreement, Bologna and Basel only need to agree on the payment terms of the sell-on clause.

It seems like it’s only a matter of time before Calafiori officially becomes an Arsenal player.

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