Arsenal reach breakthrough in Riccardo Calafiori transfer with £42m deal ‘very close’

Arsenal are closing in on a €50 million (£42.1m) deal to sign Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, according to reports in Italy.

Mikel Arteta’s side have prioritised a move for Calafiori this month but the transfer has stalled after talks between Bologna and the 22-year-old’s former club FC Basel hit a stalemate.

Basel, who sold Calafiori last August for €4m (£3.4m), are demanding 50 per cent of the transfer fee that Arsenal are due to pay, but Bologna are unhappy with those terms given the defender spent just a year with the Swiss side and did not receive his first senior call-up with Italy until May this year.

However, Sky Sports Italy and Gianluca Di Marzio now report that Arsenal are ‘one step away’ from signing Calafiori after reaching a breakthrough in talks with Bologna.

It’s understood that Arsenal and Bologna have agreed a €50m (£42.1m) package, while the final add-ons and bonuses are currently being discussed.

The report claims that positive talks involving Calafiori’s agent, Alessandro Lucci, were a key part of the deal’s progression this week.

Arsenal have already agreed personal terms with the defender, who started in three of Italy’s games at Euro 2024 this summer.

Calafiori had a brief holiday following Italy’s Euro 2024 campaign but was back in individual training this week with a personal coach.

The Italy international is due to report back for pre-season training with Bologna this weekend ahead of their training camp in Valles, Alto Adige, located in the north of Italy.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are due to fly out to the United States for the start of their pre-season tour on Sunday.

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