Bologna is giving Arsenal a difficult time in their pursuit of defensive star Ricardo Calafiori. Arsenal’s plan was to bring Calafiori on board so that he could strengthen their left-side defence.
With this addition, the team aimed to have a strong defensive lineup with three excellent options for each position. It looks like that deal is pretty much set to happen, with the player only interested in Arsenal and even agreeing to personal terms.But Bologna is really giving the North Londoners a tough time.
The Italian team is hoping that Basel, who sold them the defender last summer, will consider reducing their sell-on clause, which currently stands at 50%. Additionally, they are requesting that Arsenal make an initial offer of at least £42 million (€50 million) for the defender, according to II Resto del Carino. Arsenal had only offered to go up to £42 million by including add-ons.
They’re offering £38 million plus an additional £4 million in add-ons. However, this doesn’t sit well with the Italian side. Arsenal seem really keen on getting Bologna to join their project, and it looks like they might have to spend a lot of money on the defender. Given that the Serie A side is not joking, in fact, the defender is to report for preseason training on the 20th of July.
The hype surrounding the Calafiori-to-Arsenal move is insane. I really hope it happens, but the longer the stalemate carries on the more worried I get!
Maybe we just give up and go and get Kadiolglu instead?
Daniel O
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If Chelsea enters this race, it will be over before the secretary at the Emirates is able to fax an already typed and acceptable offer to them
But wasn’t initially it reported that Chelsea and Arsenal went it for him but he rejected Chelsea and only wanted to sign for Arteta’s Arsenal?
This reminds me of the Declan Rice saga last summer. Man City came in for him but he only had his heart set for Arsenal?
Precisely! Lol!
Chelsea doesn’t stand a chance in this. As a matter of act, AC Milan has more chance (if they have the money) than Chelsea does. But Milan had a chance to sign him last year before he moved to Bologna. Why? Because they had other priorities than another centre-back. Juventus can’t get him because Bologna won’t sell to them. Neither would they consider Inter Milan, I suppose. But Inter Milan are more interested in Kiwior, right? That makes sense because he’d be a cheaper option. The Calafiori frenzy is just crazy, mehn! And Bologna is capitalizing on it. I’m sure when they signed last year from FC Basel, they didn’t think it’d go the way. The dude was signed on a four-year contract which
At the end of the day (and let’s hope it’s today), it seems to me that Arsenal either pay what Bologna is asking in the way they want, or they walk away.
If the report is correct and the problem is over £38m + £4m add-ons vs £42m “up front” then it really depends upon how much Arsenal want him after all.
If the difference was, say, £10m or something like that then fair enough but Arsenal have written off more than this “add-ons difference” when off-loading some of their players without, apparently, too many qualms. It doesn’t seem worth haggling over if the deal falls through.
the problem is not bologna the problem is arsenal edu is the worst ever sporting director even small teams like Ipswich can broker deals with in days but edu taking more than enough time to complete one deal the most overrated sporting director in the planet as we had seen in the previous seasons arteta needs all new signing before pre season starts but edu is complicating things if this calafiori deal was raphinha deal edu may compeleting it within hours but arsenal is most unlikest team in the world
So how do you broker a complex deal like this one? Where the selling club is demanding ridiculous add ons such a “ Selling on clause”. They are demanding £42 million plus add ons, plus a selling on clause?
May be Arsenal should have hired you instead. It seems like you are more experienced and competence as compared to Edu. You are wasting your talent being just an online Director Of Football.. Hand in your CV.
Isn’t it?
😊
I agree with you that Arsenal must refuse being hoodwinked by Bologna. It is absurd to demand 42m upfront and still demand sell on clause. You only do that to small clubs. Maybe it is time to call their bluff and move on.
I understand your point even though I have a bit of a challenge understanding it, especially with your grammar. However, brokering a deal is never an easy task for a sporting director. But a comforting fact here is that Calafiori really wants to come, and no other top club is in the mix fighting with us. Not Juventus, and certainly not Chelsea. If Madrid came for him, then I’d be very concerned. If Atletico comes for him, then we may be concerned too.
Calafiori’s current contract with Bologna has a 50% sell-on clause for Basel FC of Switzerland. That’s tough for Bologna. At £42m, Bologna gets half of that which is £21m which isn’t bad. As a matter of fact, it’s a decent profit on the £3.3m (about €4m) plus bonuses they paid for him a year ago. However, out of the £3.3m(€4m) FC Basel received from Bologna, AS Roma was reported to have received €1.6m from it. So FC Basel was smart enough to include that 50% sell-on clause when Calafiori moved to Bologna.
The sticky point for Arsenal right now (and I agree with them) is the sell-on clause Bologna want if this deal is to go-through. We don’t know what the percentage will be, though. They want the £42m (which they actually only get half because the other half goes to FC Basel), add-on bonuses, and then sell-on clause. Basically they want to milk Arsenal. Arsenal on the other hands are offering £34-38m and the rest as add-on bonuses to make it £42m—and then the matter of the sell-on clause. Personally, I don’t think the proposed sell-on clause should be more than 20%.
Don’t you think that Bologna would have not signed the contract with 50% sell-on clause inserted. My thought though
I so much love this response.
Just the perfect response @ Uzedin
What’s confusing is Bologna are interested in Kiwior. We offered him in a swap + cash Bologna refused but would sell Calafiori then purchase Kiwior separately. Why can’t this be done?
Because we need the sail for FFP. Its a load of faffing around to spend a few more quid
As at the time Roma sold to Basel and Basel to Bologna they all made substantial profits and as at then he was much younger but now 22.
If at Arsenal he doesn’t live up to the hype and 2years on we decide to sell off at €20m what happens with a 50% sell-on clause Bologna is asking for?
The Emery/Pepe experience has taught us to be shrewed negotiators.
Now 22, with age a player performance even at a high level diminishes.
The sell-on negotiations should centre around the profits made on sale after deducting cost of purchase or amortization of player value as at time of sale.
Bologna cant revisit Basel asking for a lower sell-on clause after the deal is sealed… such would amount to stupidity, as Basel like everyone sanra would hold out on their initial agreement seeing Calafiori is now a prized asset and who wouldn’t anyway!