Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has shared his excitement at the prospect of working with Italy international Riccardo Calafiori, who has today officially completed his move to the North Londoners on a permanent deal from Bologna.
Arteta said that Calafiori is a ‘big personality and character’ who has a specific set of skills that will help the Gunners improve in their quest to lift a major trophy.
The coach added that he is looking forward to working with the former Basel and Roma defender for many years to come.
What Arteta said about Calafiori
“We welcome Riccardo and his family to Arsenal. He is a great signing and gives us huge strength to reinforce our defence,” Arteta said in a statement on the club website.
“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 joins Arsenal for a reported price of just under €50m with around €5m in bonuses included in the fee. The player, meanwhile, has signed a five-year contract at the Emirates with a reported wage of €4m per season.
The 22-year-old arrived in the UK for a medical on Saturday morningm, and has since jetted out to the United States to meet up with his new coach and teammates at their pre-season training camp.
Click here to read more about Calafiori’s move to Arsenal
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