Arsenal transfer news: Italy's Ricardo Calafiori reportedly agrees to terms but why another club is a factor

Arsenal and Bologna have agreed terms to sign Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori, according to Fabrizio Romano. After long negotiations that started before the start of the UEFA Euro 2024 where Calafiori played with Italy, the two clubs finally agreed on a deal that will be worth around €40 million plus €5 million of add-ons. Sources tell CBS Sports' James Benge that the last step before finalizing the deal is Basel, his former club, and Bologna agreeing on the 50% sell-on payment terms. 

Calafiori, 22, and his camp already agreed on personal terms with Arsenal over the past month and are now just waiting for the last steps of the deal before the medical tests and the signing of the contract, but Mikel Arteta can soon have his new defender available. Juventus were also in the race to sign Calafiori but the deal stalled after Bologna were not particularly happy after the appointment of Thiago Motta as the new Bianconeri manager, who left Bologna after qualifying for the UEFA Champions League last season. 

Calafiori joined Bologna in the summer of 2023 from Basel, which kept a 50% sell-on clause on a future sale. After only one season at Bologna and the success of the Italian team in the past season, he attracted the interest of multiple clubs around Europe but Arsenal emerged as the leading candidate before the start of the Euros. The Italian defender is now set to join the Premier League title contenders ahead of a highly-anticipated season in North London.