Sounds very messy, but my guess is this is independent of the deal between Bologna and Arsenal and won’t jeopardise the transfer?
Riccardo Calafiori | Signs for Arsenal
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Sounds very messy, but my guess is this is independent of the deal between Bologna and Arsenal and won’t jeopardise the transfer?
Yeah, think it will go through. By all accounts we've agreed the deal with Bologna now, he's said his goodbye's, he's not in the squad for their training camp etc. I'd imagine the idea will be to get it tied up and try and get him over to the US with guys like Havertz, Gabriel, Martinelli that aren't over there yet.
This saga is taking ages to complete. I'm a bit tired of listening to it. It's been a done deal for weeks now.
Move to Arsenal almost done, I would be slightly concerned about his injury history though if he was coming here
Meh.
He stood out to me in the Euros, expected a few clubs would be after him
Does it not bother anyone else that Arsenal seem to sign really decent players all the time without competition? They never seem to beat anyone to a signature, they just seem to get a free run at whoever they like
Arsenal is going to win EPL this season.
His injury issues are a bit of a gamble, yeah.
On the other hand, they've managed to get the kind of good, young, top flight left footed centre back for the price we've been bidding for Branthwaite and De Ligt.
Whether we were right to focus on Branthwaite and 'gamble' that we could negotiate a good fee, rather than look at Calafiori available for around that fee as Arsenal have, remains to be seen.
Injury concerns aside (which I know you can't actually ignore), it's a good signing for a good fee.
On the other hand, they've managed to get the kind of good, young, top flight left footed centre back for the price we've been bidding for Branthwaite and De Ligt.
Whether we were right to focus on Branthwaite and 'gamble' that we could negotiate a good fee, rather than look at Calafiori available for around that fee as Arsenal have, remains to be seen.
Injury concerns aside (which I know you can't actually ignore), it's a good signing for a good fee.
I dont know, I think he could struggle to cope with the more physically demanding Premier League given his history of muscle injuries.
From the outside it looks as if his body was still adjusting to trying to play football again after his big injury when he was younger.
Injury record seems better when he got regular first team football at Basle then got better again at Bologna last season.
Still, ideally you'd like another season or so where he shows he's injury free. Going to probably have to manage Timber's minutes as well.
Cause they signed a LB?
Another failed Liverpool attempt.
Calafiori has reportedly had a number of other teams interested, both from the beginning and others who attempted hijacks, but was convinced of Arsenal's project. It was only a "free run" because Arsenal won the competition by convincing the player.
Arsenal just saying "nah" to the full back position
Poor Bologna! Team is being dismantled just as they enter the CL. Hopefully they can develop a few more players and hang tough in Europe. It would be a shame to see them fall away
I'll happily admit i'm wrong if I'm wrong. But I never see it.
With this player for example, did Ornstein or anyone else at the Athletic (or Simon Stone or anyone else at the BBC) say that another club was trying to sign him?
Even for Zirkzee, which is one of our most straightforward signings of recent times, we only signed him after AC Milan were at the stage of discussing the agent fee. I never ever see this sort of thing with Arsenal. Odegaard, Partey, even going back to Alexis Sanchez or Ozil.. Just never seems to be any other club providing a serious threat to the deal.
To be fair, they've signed 3 full backs the last 2 years - Zinchenko, Tomiyasu, Timber. They''ve just always been injured or turned out to be not that good.
White might be a CB but he still plays like a modern full back. I expect this guy will too
He had reportedly agreed terms with Juve before the Euros, the Euros inflated his value and Arsenal became involved to the extent Juve were priced out of a move.
Not sure if you count Sky Sports News as accurate, but this was reported yesterday.
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I'll give you it. And perhaps behind the scenes Arsenal are just really good at this sort of thing. So their name isn't really mentioned until the players given their word, or something.
I tend to take it less seriously when they mention "club X and Y wanted him" after the deal is already done though. Still struggle to think of a signing you've made where it's been clear another team has been actively trying to sign him before any deal is done. Or for example it's reported that another club has bid for one of your targets.
Thinking about it, Declan Rice is definitely one actually. I remember city put in a concrete transfer bid to west ham to sign him.
I actually read somewhere that the other English club that tried to hijack the deal is United. I dismissed it as just twitter rumours though, but Skysports are now saying a PL club did indeed try.
Remember we have missed out on guys like Mudryk, Martinez, Raphinha, Caceido, Vlahovic, Locatelli, Gundogan off the top of my head, guys it was confirmed we had bid for. I think just this summer we'd likely be in for Nico Williams if Barca don't get him, and it's well known we like Zubimendi as well.
We know Chelsea were interested, I'd be surprised if Utd weren't as well considering their link with defenders this window.
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Looks like a class player but his fitness record is questionable. If they can keep him fit that's a great signing for them though.
Yeah that was before the euros. I don’t think there was much linking us to Calafiori since he became a bit more of a mainstream name during the tournament.
I think he will struggle. He doesn’t have a massive amount of experience, and I personally don’t think he’ll settle well - culturally as much as anything else. Will be back in Serie A within a couple of seasons.
He will be a good fit....the one thing that concerns me is his injury record. We do however have quality back-up though. I am kinda stoked this guy knows how to carry the ball forward. It will open up lanes for us.
I didn't see the LB position as a priority, but this guy looks to be quality. Anf of course we do also get a backup CB at the same time.
I didn't see the LB position as a priority, but this guy looks to be quality. Anf of course we do also get a backup CB at the same time.
Biggest concern.
Well he's played abroad before, & seems really keen to move again. Italians in general seem to settle ok in London, from Vialli, Zola, Cudicini & Di Canio through to Jorginho, Udogie and Vicario of the present day. There's a big Italian community in London.
It’s something I would always factor into an Italian signing. If it panned out as non issue, great, but if it does happen to be an issue, it’s not something I’d feign surprise over.
Perhaps he settles and it’s a non-issue for the reasons you state.
No they are not
I feel a bit sorry for Timber in all of this. This is clearly a player signed to play the position he was signed to play. That injury could really derail his career now.
Arteta is ruthless and thinks nothing of giving players few minutes when team is doing well.
Arteta is ruthless and thinks nothing of giving players few minutes when team is doing well.
The players Calafiori will be taking minutes from are really Kiwior (the most direct replacement, who will probably leave) and Zinchenko.
We really haven't seen a healthy Timber enough to see how Arteta wants to use him. But I actually think its more likely he was bought to rotate with White and Saliba than as a LB.
In any case, the most likely scenario is that we mix and match to select four out of five really good defenders in most starting 11s (Saliba, Gabriel, White, Calafiori, Timber). And then we use Tomiyasu as a jack-of-all trades to fill in when necessary and Zinchenko as a specialized sort of LB in certain matches and match situations.
We're going to play a huge number of matches next year and reducing the load on players like White, Saliba, and Gabriel is a big priority for the club. So I don't think there will be a shortage of minutes for either Timber or Calafiori assuming they are healthy and in reasonable form.
He’s definitely an upgrade on Kiwior and Zinchenko, but I think he’s a much better CB than he is LB, where he has weaknesses. Especially being run at from wide areas. He’s great in the air, but looks defensively vulnerable when playing LB. Think he looks a lot better through the middle. But I haven’t seen too much of him.
I like what Arsenal are doing with their defence. White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, and now Calafiori. It’s flexible and technical, whilst being physically dominant. Timber coming back to full fitness will be huge for them. Assuming he reaches his top level again, he is a wonderful player. He’s absolutely perfect as an inverted full back, stepping into midfield. And will provide cover at RB and RCB, like Calafiori will at LB and LCB.
Smart acquisitions.
I like what Arsenal are doing with their defence. White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, and now Calafiori. It’s flexible and technical, whilst being physically dominant. Timber coming back to full fitness will be huge for them. Assuming he reaches his top level again, he is a wonderful player. He’s absolutely perfect as an inverted full back, stepping into midfield. And will provide cover at RB and RCB, like Calafiori will at LB and LCB.
Smart acquisitions.
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Arsenal should have go for L Martinez they already solid in defence.
They are winning next year anyway they are good. Martinez would put them on that world class level.
They are winning next year anyway they are good. Martinez would put them on that world class level.
Great signing for them
Take it from an italian who lived in London for years: it's London. If you can't settle down in London, you wouldn't be able to in Milan either, for example. And this guy went to Switzerland as a teen. Wouldn't worry about that
I'd worry about his adaptation to the physicality of the PL
Exactly, London is fine. Absolutely loads of Italians settle there without the aid of millions of pounds a year.
There's Bella Italia's all over England, why would Italians struggle to adapt?
He'll be playing for Juventus in two years time.
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