Arsenal have officially secured the signing of Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna on a "long-term contract," the Premier League club announced on Monday. Although the fee was not disclosed, reports from British media suggest that the 22-year-old has joined the Gunners on a five-year deal valued at £42 million ($54 million) following his impressive performance for Italy at Euro 2024. Gunners manager Mikel Arteta expressed his enthusiasm about the new signing, stating, "We welcome Riccardo and his family to Arsenal. He is a fantastic addition to our team and will greatly strengthen our defense."
"Riccardo is a big personality and character, with specific skills which will make us stronger as we push to win major trophies.
"He has already shown great development in recent seasons with his performances for both Bologna and Italy, with his progression and development in the past year being really impressive.
"We're looking forward to working with Riccardo, integrating him into the squad and supporting him in the years to come."
Calafiori becomes Arsenal's second major signing of the summer transfer window after David Raya's loan move from London rivals Brentford was made permanent.
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The Gunners will be looking to go one better in the 2024/25 season after finishing runners-up to Premier League champions Manchester City by just two points last term.
(This story has not been edited by staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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