Riccardo Calafiori was close to joining Juventus at the end of last season, with the club reportedly reaching an agreement on personal terms.
However, the defender’s impressive performances at Euro 2024, while still contracted to Bologna, caught the attention of other clubs, and Arsenal managed to secure his signature, beating out the competition.
Since arriving in the Premier League, he has been outstanding and appears perfectly suited for the English top flight, much to Arsenal’s delight.
Calafiori could have ended up at one of Italy’s top clubs, making his departure a significant loss for Serie A. An Italian journalist even described it as “madness” that the country’s top sides allowed him to slip through their fingers and join Arsenal instead.
Valentina Ballarini told Bianconera News:
“Losing Calafiori was madness. I don’t know how to define it in any other way. It was a madness in our football, the most evident in recent years.
“There have been many, it’s true, caused by the economic power that we no longer have for some time, but that of Calafiori drives me crazy in a negative way.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Calafiori was one of the best players at Euro 2024, and it was surprising that the top Italian clubs did not push to add him to their squad before us.
But we have more money than most clubs in Italy, which could have played a key role in the race.
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