Riccardo Calafiori Names Inter Superstar Best Italian Defender | OneFootball

Arsenal star Riccardo Calafiori singled out Inter talisman Alessandro Bastoni as the best Italian defender right now. During his recent interview with Sky Sports via Calciomercato, the former Bologna center-back heaped praise on his international colleague.

Calafiori swapped Renato Dall’Ara for North London last summer in a deal worth £42 million. However, he has failed to hit the ground running in the Premier League. Indeed, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has handed him just eight league starts this season.

Forced to live in the shadow of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, Calafiori may have regretted turning down Juventus for Arsenal. Yet, he’s still only 22 and has plenty of time to establish himself as a permanent first-team fixture at the Emirates Stadium.

Considered one of Italy’s brightest prospects, Calafiori remains a significant part of the national team. Luciano Spalletti often paired him with Bastoni at the heart of his backline in 2024, making them his favorite center-back pairing at EURO 2024.

And Calafiori holds his compatriot in high regard.

“Who is the best Italian defender today? I’d say Bastoni of Inter,” he said. “What I like about Bastoni is his mentality. He plays in a way very similar to mine: he plays very well with the ball, even better than me. He’s left-footed, and I like him a lot as a friend too: I wish him the best.”

Italian defenders have always been the point of reference, and choosing the best of all time is an arduous task. However, Calafiori had one name in mind.