Exclusive: Arsenal 'very confident' of signing player, £39m profit expected

Arsenal are “very confident” of agreeing a deal to sign Riccardo Calafiori this week, sources have told Football Insider.

Talks between the clubs have reached an advanced stage after personal terms were agreed with the Italian defender.

A transfer fee is yet to be finalised and talks are continuing over the structure of the payments, but the parties are edging closer to reaching a deal.

This comes after Football Insider first revealed the Gunners are set to hold new talks, with Bologna holding out for their £42million asking price.

Calafiori, 22, has attracted plenty of high-profile interest after his performances at Euro 2024, but sources say Arsenal are in pole position to land the deal.

Arsenal ‘very confident’ in effort to sign Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna

Bologna stunned fans last season with their shock fifth-placed finish in the Serie A with Calafiori a vital part of their success.

The defender arrived from FC Basel for £3.4million last summer and the club are now looking to make a £38.6million profit just 33 appearances later.

His contract is set to expire in 2027, but Bologna are said to be willing to let him leave if a club meets their asking price this summer.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are looking to strengthen their side after back-to-back seasons finishing second behind Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta has turned his side into regular title challengers, but wants to take them one step further, and is targeting Calafiori to strengthen his back line.

Able to play both at centre-back and left-back, the Italian will provide cover for Gabriel Magalhaes while giving a regular left-back option after it became a problem position last season.

Neither Takehiro Tomiyasu nor Oleksandr Zinchenko were able to establish themselves with consistent performances, leading Arteta to consider his options.

Football Insider revealed earlier this summer that Arsenal plan to accept offers for Zinchenko this summer, and that deal could be accelerated by Calafiori’s arrival.

In other news, Man City are ready to cash in on Jack Grealish this summer.

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The post Exclusive: Arsenal 'very confident' of signing player, £39m profit expected appeared first on Football Insider.