Calafiori will be only the 4th Italian to play for Arsenal in the Premiership.
Considering Italy’s proud Footballing heritage, it’s a shock that more from the country haven’t been a success in England.
Here are the three who have been Gunners ….
Arturo Lupoli (2004- 2007)
We know the transition of leaving Highbury and moving to the Emirates saw Mr Wenger put more faith in youth.
We were the club who the best youngsters identified as a place where you would be given an opportunity.
If you were good enough, age wasn’t a restriction.
Lupoli had a great reputation for the records he had set at Youth level football, making him viewed in his homeland as their next big thing.
Loans were set up as part of his development, but he then turned down a 4-year deal to stay, also breaking his word to Napoli.
Now 37, he admits being badly advised by those around him where money was the motivation. Would play for 18 clubs where he never showed the prolific nature he did in the underage groups.
Vito Mannone (2005-2013)
Had to wait 4 years to make his debut as a Gunner.
Injuries and suspensions meant the keeper got an unexpected run in the side in 2009.
His performance at Craven Cottage remains memorable where he nearly singlehandedly won us the game. That earnt him a new contract and at the time you would have predicted a bright future in North London.
Given the mistakes Almunia and Fabianski were making I didn’t see any reason to drop Mannone when they were fit again?
That would as good as it would get for him at the Emirates. By the time he returned from two loans at Hull, Szczesney was our number 1.
Won numerous players of the year awards in first season at Sunderland where he reached a League Cup and Final and participated in a couple of great escapes.
Last 4 years he’s been playing in France.
Jorginho (2023- now)
Easily the most famous Italian to play for Arsenal based mainly on what he has won elsewhere.
Some Gooners were underwhelmed when we signed the midfielder having been linked all of the 2023 winter window with Caicedo.
That’s largely down to how many Chelsea cast offs we been left with over the years.
Yet so far, we have had the better of the deal with 12 million proving a bargain.
He’s instantly walked in and become a leader to a young dressing room.
Reliable in the big games. Was immense when we beat Liverpool last season.
You could argue Rice was a better player next to him and he’s now ahead of Partey in the pecking order? Simply because he’s more reliable.
There is already comparisons with how Mikel Arteta used to communicate when he was our captain, many predicting Jorginho could be a future manager and therefore should be kept within the Arsenal family.
Dan
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You forget Niccolo Galli, a promising centre half who unfortunately died age 17 in a motorbike accident.
Did he play for us in Prem ?
No. So Calafiori will be the 4th Italian to play in the premier league but the 5th to sign for Arsenal.
So I didn’t forget him lol.
Edu/MA at least implied that he was identified back in March/April. I suspect this be one of the reasons Jorginho was given new contract. Was there a meeting with MA just prior to the Euros, lol?
Same with Rice. It was months before we all found out.
But many thought that Arteta and Edu noticed Calafiori after his Italy Euro outing.
And wasn’t that tapping up what Arteta did? He started talking to the player months ago without Bologna’s knowledge. Or they had notified Bologna before communicating with Calafiori?
😊
Martinelli is of Italian descent
…and Jorjinho is of Brazilian descent
*Jorginho
Argentina would be proud of you
Timber and cala fiori are both class, we could start both and play a 5-3-2
Raya
White. Gabriel. Saliba. Calafiori. Timber
Ødegaard. Rice.
Saka. Havertz/new striker. Martinelli
Let’s not forget young Niccolo Galli who was an outstanding prospect at CB and helped us win the Youth Cup in 2000. Homesick, we sent him out on loan to Bologna where he died aged 17 in a moped crash on his way home from training. Wenger rated him highly enough to predict that he was likely to be a future captain of club and country.
Emiliano Viviano
Didn’t play in the Prem
How many Arsenal players have played or are playing for an Italian club?
You may have inspired an article
Quite a few though
Undortunately I don’t have the time to do the research needed to write on the subject
When the two Polish goal keeprs arrived at Arsenal I wrote an article about one of them. However I wasn’t then and I am not able to spell is name, A sad day when he left Arsenal and ended up at Juventus. Their gain our loss.
My unreliable brain is telling me that a certain John Charles left Juventus for Arsenal, or was it the other way round? Ken45 and others who can go way back will I am sure know the facts and maybe write a piece for here.
At present I am involed in a project explaining Shakesphere to second language learneers of English.
I think Ársenal’ the word is found in Shakesphere but a quick search was negative.
There’s loads
Henry , Viera , Bergkamp , cole , Sanchez , Ramsey , Kanu, etc
Yes of course. My head was in Shakesphere when I wrote the above, so waasn’t thinking enough Arsenal.
My memory tells me that BergKamp came to us from a Milan Club pre Arsene Wenger.
Arsene followed up with Viera who was his first Arsenal signing. Then came Henry! What an encore!
However before the arrivial of Bergkamp some research is required i think to find earlier comings and goings between Arsenal and Italy.
David Platt