Gianluca Di Marzio: Arsenal’s Negotiation Stalemate with Bologna | OneFootball

Arsenal’s Pursuit of Riccardo Calafiori: An Imminent Transfer?

Arsenal fans are buzzing with anticipation as the club edges closer to securing a deal for Bologna’s rising star, Riccardo Calafiori. The rumour mill has been churning, and insights from renowned journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, in an exclusive interview with goal.pl, provide a clearer picture of the situation.

Calafiori’s Desire for Arsenal

According to Di Marzio, Calafiori’s commitment to joining Arsenal is unwavering. “At this moment, Arsenal’s priority is to find an agreement with Bologna for Riccardo Calafiori. He’s their top target and they are pushing a lot. The player wants Arsenal and he decided to join them two-three weeks back. He didn’t listen to offers from Chelsea, PSG, Bayer Leverkusen because he’s really focused on Arsenal and Arsenal is focused on him.” This level of dedication from the player is a significant positive for Arsenal, highlighting mutual enthusiasm and intent.

The Financial Hurdle

Despite the mutual interest, the transfer is not without its challenges. The primary obstacle is the transfer fee. Di Marzio explains, “At this moment there’s no deal yet with Bologna because the price of Calafiori has changed a lot. Before EURO 2024 he had a price of €30-35 million. After his performances for Italy, Bologna are asking for €50 million and Arsenal feel that’s too much. Arsenal are willing to spend €1-2 million more but not €10 million more.” The standout performances of Calafiori in the EURO 2024 have undeniably inflated his market value, complicating negotiations.

Adding to the complexity is Bologna’s previous agreement with Basel. “Another problem is when Bologna bought the player last year they agreed on a 50 percent sell-on clause with Basel and so now they are trying to get more money because they don’t want to sell Calafiori for only €20 million because €10 million of that they’ll have to give to Basel.” This financial intricacy is a pivotal factor in the current standstill, but it seems the deal is still likely to go through. As Di Marzio succinctly puts it, “They’re trying to get more possible money but at this moment, they can’t afford to keep the player so the move is only a matter of time.”

Jakub Kiwior: The Domino Effect

The impending arrival of Calafiori may have implications for Jakub Kiwior’s future at Arsenal. Di Marzio sheds light on the situation, stating, “There are Italian clubs interested in Jakub Kiwior but when they asked Arsenal about him, they did not give a green light for a loan. So if they decide to sell the player, they want a permanent deal and not a temporary one.” This indicates that Arsenal is looking for a long-term solution rather than a stopgap measure.

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The interest from top Italian clubs like Inter Milan and Juventus is notable. “In Italy, Inter Milan, Juventus, at the moment, tried only for a loan. I think that Juventus could be interested because he’ll be reunited with his former coach at Spezia, Thiago Motta.” However, Juventus’s financial strategy will determine their ability to make a move, especially with alternative targets like Jean-Clair Todibo also in their sights. “Juventus are also interested in Jean-Clair Todibo but he’s their second option because Nice are asking for €40 million. So it depends on which player Juventus will sell and for how much, so we’ll know the money they can spend on another defender.”