He was one of the breakout stars of Euro 2024, and could be the latest addition to Arsenal’s backline. We look at why Mikel Arteta’s side might benefit from the potential arrival of Riccardo Calafiori.
This is an updated version of our recent article – Why Everyone is Talking About Riccardo Calafiori
There’s a lot to be said for improving yourself from a position of strength.
Arsenal may have missed out on the Premier League title to Manchester City last season, but they did build their challenge on a foundation of a sound defence.
Their 29 goals conceded was the fewest in England’s top flight by five, and their expected goals against (xGA) total of 28.4 was the lowest of any team in Europe’s top five leagues.
So naturally, their first big transfer target of the summer is a defender.
Riccardo Calafiori is reportedly close to arriving from Bologna for an estimated fee of £42 million, which is quite the rise for a player who only joined the Serie A club from Swiss side FC Basel for less than £3.5m one year ago.
Outside of Italy, Calafiori wasn’t very widely known heading into this summer’s Euro 2024 tournament, but he soon caught people’s attention.
At 22 years and 27 days old when he lined up in Italy’s opener against Albania, he became the second-youngest Italy defender to play a match in European Championship history after Paolo Maldini (19 years, 350 days).
Calafiori impressed in the 2-1 win, completing 99 of 106 passes (93.4%), successful with both of his dribble attempts, winning six of nine duels, including all three of his aerial duels, and winning possession five times.
Italy struggled across the board in their second game against Spain, largely unable to keep a lid on explosive wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, but it was Calafiori who was the unfortunate man to take centre stage. After yet another dribble and cross from Williams, Gianluigi Donnarumma palmed the ball straight into the legs of the unwitting Calafiori, whose resulting own goal decided the game.
Italy’s crucial final Group B game against Croatia looked to be heading for another defeat, with Luka Modric’s goal threatening to leave Spalletti’s men in third and hoping to sneak into the last 16 rather than already having it confirmed.
Then, with a goal looking beyond Italy, in the last minute of eight added on at the end of the game, Calafiori decided to venture forward, picking up the ball at the back from Donnarumma and driving at the Croatia midfield. After playing a one-two with Davide Frattesi, he laid a perfectly weighted pass to his left before being clattered by Josip Sutalo, allowing an unmarked Mattia Zaccagni to bend in a vital equaliser that confirmed Italy’s spot in the round of 16.
Calafiori was in tears at the final whistle, relieved he had made amends for his unfortunate own goal in the defeat to Spain.
“I honestly don’t know where I got the energy from,” Calafiori said after the match. “It was a really tough game. I needed to give something to this team that welcomed me so well, I didn’t want to end the journey here, so I wanted to give something positive.
“I couldn’t even think, I was just so happy. More than anything, it was all the emotions I felt inside me over the last few days, as I didn’t have time to process [the own goal] because we had to focus on the next match. It just came out.
“I wanted to make up for the own goal and make a positive contribution.”
It wasn’t all good news, though. Earlier in the game, Calafiori earned a yellow card, his second of the tournament, meaning he was suspended for Italy’s last-16 defeat to Switzerland. He may not have made much of a difference in Berlin as the gap between the two teams was vast in the 2-0 win for the Swiss, but Spalletti’s side certainly missed him.
There had already been some hype around Calafiori in Italy prior to his Euro 2024 performances. Thiago Motta had made him a key part of his impressive Bologna team, who finished fifth in Serie A last season against all odds and will play Champions League football in 2024-25.
Calafiori played a significant role in Bologna’s achievements. Of defenders in Serie A in 2023-24 who made a minimum of 10 appearances, he was fifth for interceptions per 90 minutes (1.9), second for recoveries per 90 (7.5), ninth for passes per 90 (68.6), 14th for duel success (63.1%) and joint-fourth for overall assists (5).
His partnership with Sam Beukema was particularly strong; they started 15 of Bologna’s 38 Serie A games together at centre-back, with their 10 wins the most of any CB pairing in the division last season (D3 L2).
The difference with and without Calafiori in the team was stark. He featured in 30 Serie A games last season, of which Bologna won 16 and lost just three (D11), averaging 1.6 goals per game, 0.8 goals against, and 2.0 points per game. In the eight games without Calafiori, they won just two, drawing three and losing three, with an average of 0.8 goals per game, 1.0 goals against, and just 1.1 points per game. It should be noted, though, that those games missed did include clashes with Inter, Milan and Juventus (D1 L2).
During the group stage of Euro 2024, only four defenders made more than Calafiori’s six interceptions, while 14 made more recoveries than his 13. He was strong in the air in his three games, winning seven of nine aerial duels, while only Joshua Kimmich (9) and Jules Koundé (5) created more chances from open play among defenders than his four.
Should he complete his move to Arsenal, it will be intersting to see whether he predominantly plays left-back or as a left-sided centre-back. Looking at his output last season compared to Gabriel Magalhães, it would be a significant shift in approach for Calafiori to replace the Brazilian as William Saliba’s regular centre-back partner. Gabriel only averaged 0.2 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season, significantly fewer than Calafiori’s 0.8, while the latter created 0.6 chances from open play to the former’s 0.1.
It would also be odd for Arteta to break up arguably the best defensive pairing in the Premier League and it’s difficult to see Calafiori being happy as back-up, though he would certainly be an excellent option when one of Saliba or Gabriel cannot play.
That therefore points to left-back being the Italian’s regular position if he moves to Arsenal. We have seen Arteta turn Ben White from a centre-back into a right-back, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him trying something similar with Calafiori on the left. It is also a role he has played before, even if he was largely used in the centre by Bologna and played in the middle by Spalletti at the Euros.
When comparing Calafiori to Arsenal’s main left-back options in Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior in league games last season, he averaged almost identical dribble numbers to the Ukrainian (0.8 per 90) and more than the Pole (0.5), while he also made more interceptions (1.9 to 1.1 and 0.8 respectively) and recoveries (7.5 to 5.4 and 3.3 respectively).
He was also dribbled past by an opponent less often on a per-90-minute basis (0.4 to Zinchenko’s 0.9 and Kiwior’s 0.5), but it must be remembered that full-backs are generally dribbled at more often than centre-backs.
The comparisons to Maldini were inevitable given his nationality and look, but Calafiori has insisted it is an English defender who he considers his style to be most similar to.
His penchant for wandering into midfield is akin to the role of John Stones at club level, and Calafiori highlighted the Man City defender is his “reference”.
“His style of play is closest to mine,” Calafiori said. “Stones is my reference. It’s not off the cuff when I go into midfield. It’s following the guidelines of the coach. He saw me in this role. I’ve learned so much from him. The coach [Motta] is revolutionary, smart, demanding and clear in what he wants.”
It wouldn’t be the first time Arteta has signed a player in the Manchester City mould for his Arsenal side, having previously signed two players directly from City in Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus. While Calafiori only styles himself on another City player, it wouldn’t be a surprise if having their own ‘Stones’ is a big reason the north London side have targeted him.
We’ll leave you to make your own jokes about Arsenal finally having the Stones to win the Premier League.
If and wherever Calafiori plays for Arsenal, it appears the club is trying to make the strongest defence in the Premier League even stronger. But will it finally be enough for them to bridge the gap to Man City?
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