After prolonged and complex negotiations, Arsenal have lastly confirmed the arrival of Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori.
However who’s the Italian, what’s going to he deliver to the aspect and why is he costing (as much as) £40 million? Phil Costa stories.
Arsenal followers know the heartbreak and injustice of harm greater than most. The regrets, the what ifs sink themselves into your thoughts and seem with out discover at any given second. However Riccardo Calafiori has skilled harm on one other, extra private stage and 6 years in the past, his profession was nearly over earlier than it began.
His knee was shattered to items following a studs-up problem whereas enjoying for Roma within the UEFA Youth League, with scans later revealing that each ligament in his knee was ruptured. Docs described the injury as “one thing that usually occurs in motocross” whereas others advised native newspapers it was an harm you see “as soon as each ten years”.
However after ten months of rehabilitation, three transfers and simply over 2,000 days later, he now finds himself at one of many greatest golf equipment in world soccer.
Benvenuto, Riccardo Calafiori 🇮🇹
Assembly new teammates for the very first time ❤️ pic.twitter.com/JbUhqOBCMN
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 29, 2024
Calafiori initially broke via as a left again for boyhood membership Roma, though he was tall, wiry and seemed like a gentle breeze may knock him over. His physique was very completely different to what it’s now, and that performed a significant function in him falling out of favour beneath José Mourinho (who was supervisor on the time). After a disappointing mortgage at Genoa, the defender and his agent sought a membership the place he may reinvent himself – which is the place Basel stepped in.
Below Heiko Vogel, Calafiori was utilized in a again three system which maximised his technical high quality but in addition known as on him to enhance bodily with extra space to cowl, each in behind and in midfield. That season in Switzerland was the making of who we see at the moment, along with his actual breakthrough coming for Bologna final time period who completed fifth and achieved Champions League soccer for the primary time since 1964.
Piazza Maggiore in Bologna full of supporters celebrating qualification to the Champions League tonight.
The gamers collect on an open prime bus on the entrance of the principle sq..
It exhibits simply how a lot this implies to the folks and town! ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/JAq1CvYeyv
— Derek Watson (@derekwatson89) Might 22, 2024
What immediately stands out when watching Calafiori is: man, this man can run with the ball. You typically hear about ball enjoying centre backs however the 22-year-old is a ball carrying centre again, who likes to establish house and bomb ahead to create overloads in harmful areas. Calafiori created extra possibilities (14) following a carry than another centre-back throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues final season – Opta knowledge – and nearly grew to become a joker for Bologna beneath Thiago Motta who had been usually fairly measured of their build-up.
He’ll, nevertheless, have to refine the timing of these carries. That sense of journey is a vital a part of his sport however he has been responsible of dropping possession after biting off greater than he can chew. Having the ability to break video games open (particularly from defensive areas) makes him distinctive, however transitions are the enemy of management and most of the time, errors shall be punished on this league.
When it comes to his distribution, his quick sport could be very safe – he handed at 90% completion fee for a staff averaging the second-highest possession statistics in Italy final season – with a very good physique form when welcoming the ball and may fizz passes via the traces if wanted. His long-range passing – particularly these raking diagonals to the appropriate winger – whereas correct may nonetheless enhance. They take a very long time to succeed in their goal and really feel telegraphed which provides the left again an opportunity to intercept the ball if switched on.
Defensively, Calafiori follows a theme discovered in lots of current Arsenal recruits. The 22-year-old could be very front-footed, he likes to be the aggressor and will get as near gamers as you could be with out being of their shorts. Lots of his sport is centred round anticipation and having the ability to learn conditions, the place he can pounce on under-hit passes or strikers being on their heels, earlier than steaming in, nicking the ball and getting issues transferring the opposite means.
We all know Mikel Arteta loves profitable duels and when he or these round him don’t – is upset. Fortunately for him, Calafiori was probably the greatest duel winners in Europe final season and received extra duels (60) than another Bologna participant. He’s additionally within the 99th percentile for ball recoveries with 7.63 per 90 – FBRef knowledge – which is totally ridiculous, highlighting his proactivity and willingness to make issues occur on the pitch.
That duel success fee interprets to the skies as nicely. Calafiori was considered one of solely two Serie A gamers to win 70% of their aerial duels final season (minimal 30 appearances) alongside Nikola Milenkovic, which highlights his spectacular leap and functionality to tread the road when battling for the ball – pushing buttons, small nudges within the again – to achieve an edge.
Riccardo Calafiori for Bologna through the 2023/24 Serie A marketing campaign:
◉ Most possession received (194)
◉ Most aerial duels received (60)
◉ Most interceptions (50)
◉ Most assists (5)⤵️ Season By Numbers pic.twitter.com/JllWJKKlG1
— Squawka (@Squawka) July 3, 2024
If we’re entertaining the prospect of Calafiori enjoying at left-back, I don’t assume his bodily mechanics are as clean as Ben White regardless of logical comparisons. He’s bulkier and broader, whereas White appears extra like a long-distance runner, with a leaner construct and upright approach. That might pose just a few points within the Premier League and the Champions League, towards wingers with uncooked pace over lengthy distances but in addition those that can change route shortly.
He simply doesn’t have that stage of mobility, and it wouldn’t shock me to see him go for the early fouls typically as an alternative of backing himself in a foot race, however that’s the trade-off in enjoying a participant of his profile in that place. Calafiori jogs my memory of somebody like Nemanja Matic or Adrien Rabiot, in that they don’t look tremendous pure or fast throughout the bottom however could be very troublesome to cease as soon as in full stream – particularly as soon as the stiff arm comes out or they get their our bodies throughout you.
As a centre-back, these considerations aren’t so urgent and he’s somebody who may replicate that type of defending we see from Gabriel, protecting large areas when wanted but in addition embracing direct battles with opposition strikers. Calafiori acquitted himself nicely towards the likes of Victor Osimhen, Dusan Vlahovic and Marcus Thuram final season who’re all fast, highly effective forwards which makes him a perfect match for the Gunners’ excessive line.
In the event you requested me what his greatest place was, I’d lean in direction of centre again but it surely’s very troublesome to nail him down as a result of he’s performed loads of soccer in many various roles. It’s additionally silly fascinated about gamers so definitively within the fashionable sport as a result of no participant is only a centre-back, or an attacking midfielder anymore – we even see goalkeepers pushing ahead to offer another choice in possession.
A part of his enchantment is that potential to be good in two or three positions, and what he gives us tactically that others can’t. He can deputise or rotate with Gabriel – who Arsenal have been extremely fortunate with injury-wise – however what he brings to Arteta’s 2:3 arrange from left-back is the defensive stability of Jakub Kiwior with higher passing and incision going ahead, and luxury in midfield like Oleksandr Zinchenko with extra defensive nous. I used to be shocked at how typically he was popping up because the quantity six and even additional between the traces for Bologna this season – and even for Italy U21s.
At the moment watching Calafiori play Precise Midfielder for Italy U21 (i.e. defending within the block, and never inverting from someplace else). pic.twitter.com/gUXAaMIsKl
— Billy Carpenter (@billycarpy) July 13, 2024
His long-term future doesn’t lie there by any means, it’s extra about his consolation in these areas which may give Declan Rice extra freedom to press and hunt the ball – which labored successfully final season – but in addition enable Rice to drop in and shield Calafiori ought to he determine to push ahead on the overlap himself. It’s all about forming these relationships on the pitch, which ought to include time.
Merely put; Arsenal deserve credit score for getting this signing over the road. There have been many issues surrounding the deal, with a 50% sell-on clause owed to Basel, competitors from different golf equipment, potential value inflation after his EURO performances and Bologna digging their heels in to maximise any switch price. However negotiations have been comparatively clean and it’s clear important work has been performed on the participant aspect to facilitate that.
It’s additionally a sizeable price for somebody pretty inexperienced at this stage whose pure instincts will want sharpening, however Calafiori needs to be thought of one other thrilling addition to this squad and line of defense. He arrives with bodily and technical high quality to deliver some vitality to the present left-hand aspect, in addition to eye-catching bravery to make that function his personal which could have appealed to Arteta who reportedly pushed for the signing himself.
Whenever you’re not solely in direct competitors with however attempting to beat the 115-charge three-point machine that’s Manchester Metropolis, margins turn into ridiculously fantastic. Some could query the necessity for an additional defender however the pace wherein Arsenal proceed to evolve beneath Arteta – illustrated completely by the wavering significance of Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus – exhibits the necessity for ruthlessness if you imagine there are higher choices accessible.
Soccer, like time, waits for no one and why wait when there are titles to be received?
