Real Madrid the latest club credited with interest in Italian Euro 2024 standout | OneFootball

La Liga giants Real Madrid have positioned themselves in the race for one of the standout performers of Euro 2024 to date.

That’s according to Diario AS, citing La Gazzetta dello Sport, who point towards Riccardo Calafiori as the player in question.

Defender Calafiori, for his part, has seen his name take its place front and centre in the headlines across the continent over the course of recent weeks.

As much comes with the 22-year-old, fresh off a spectacular campaign on the books of Serie A surprise package Bologna, having carried his head-turning form onto the international stage.

Afforded starts in all three of Italy’s group stage fixtures at the European Championships, Calafiori has shone bright, even laying on the assist which kept the Azzurri’s hopes of retaining their title alive at the death against Croatia last time out.

Such excellence has not gone at all unnoticed across Europe, with a number of top clubs Italy and abroad understood to be keen to lure the gifted stopper away from Bologna.

To date, Juventus have been the most hotly tipped to make a move, though Arsenal, too, are keeping a close eye on the situation.

And, as alluded to above, on Thursday, yet another continental heavyweights has joined the fray.

As per AS, Real Madrid, amid their ongoing search for reinforcements at centre-back, are ‘reflecting’ on a bid for Calafiori.

It now remains to be seen if any of the clubs mentioned are willing to meet Bologna’s €40 million+ asking price.

Conor Laird | GSFN