The source attested to the fact that Basel and Bologna’s issues have been settled. And because of that, Riccardo Calafiori, an Arsenal center defender, has finally been signed. Before signing a formal contract, this 22-year-old center back will travel to the US rather than England for a medical examination.
Calafiori is expected to join Arsenal on a permanent basis.
Expert Romano claims that Calafiori and Arsenal have reached an agreement on a five-year deal, with Calafiori earning 3.5 million pounds in pay after taxes. This central defender is thought to be crucial to Arsenal’s efforts to win the Premier League.
Calafiori was one of the Italian national team’s rare shining spots at the EURO 2024 finals. Calafiori was referred to as the “new Maldini” of Italian football because of his astute playing style and potent offensive abilities. Calafiori’s transfer has previously run into some issues.
British media reports claim that Bologna and Arsenal have struck a principle deal for Calafiori’s signing, with an initial payment of £34 million and £4 million in add-ons. But there’s a disagreement now between Calafiori’s two previous clubs, AS Roma and FC Basel.
For £2.1 million, Calafiori relocated from AS Roma to Basel in the summer of 2022. AS Roma secured a 40% sell-on option in the transfer agreement, which meant they would get 40% of any upcoming Calafiori deals.
Basel sold Calafiori to Bologna for £3.4 million in the summer of 2023. As per the agreed-upon resale clause, AS Roma received around £1.3 million from this trade. But to make things even more difficult, Bologna was about to sell Calafiori to Arsenal for a considerably larger sum.
FC Basel and Bologna have an agreement that states the Swiss team will get 50% of the proceeds from Calafiori’s sale to Arsenal. This means Basel will get a substantial payment, estimated to be worth £17 million but maybe as much as £19 million.
AS Roma’s belief that they were also entitled to a portion of the revenues caused the dispute. Before Arsenal closed the agreement, the parties needed a considerable amount of time to settle. Riccardo Calafiori therefore switched clubs in three different summers (2022, 2023, and 2024).