Arsenal remain in talks with Bologna over a move for Riccardo Calafiori but have yet to come to an agreement on the fee for the Italy defender.
Calafiori is understood to have agreed terms for a five-year contract in north London, with Bologna thought to value him at about £42m. But despite hopes that the 22-year-old’s transfer could be completed before Arsenal depart for their pre-season tour to the United States on Sunday, they have not reached a breakthrough in negotiations.
Bologna are believed to be holding out for more of the fee to be upfront for the player they signed from Basel last summer for £3.4m. The Swiss club are understood to be due 50% of any profit Bologna make. Calafiori has been asked to attend pre-season training with the Italian club next week, having going on holiday after playing at Euro 2024.
Calafiori, who scored an own goal in Italy’s group-stage loss to Spain but set up Mattia Zaccagni’s late equaliser against Croatia, excelled at Bologna last season in a three-man defence as he helped them qualify for next season’s Champions League. He can also play at left-back and Mikel Arteta is believed to view the defender as a key addition as an inverted full-back capable of slotting into midfield positions, and to provide competition to the established central defensive partnership of Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba.
Arteta, the Arsenal manager, said last week that new profitability and sustainability rules in the Premier League have made it “a bit more delicate to do business” but that they “still want to deliver what we want in the transfer window to have a much more competitive team”.
There is interest in Emile Smith Rowe from Fulham, who had a £30m bid rejected this week, and Crystal Palace, while Reiss Nelson has been linked with a move to West Ham.
Their sales could enable Arsenal to pursue their interest in signing a central midfielder, with Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino and Martín Zubimendi – who were both part of Spain’s Euro 2024 winning squad – on their shortlist. Merino is also wanted by Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.
