Chelsea, Arsenal, Juventus Vie for Bologna’s Calafiori

Chelsea, Arsenal, and Juventus are all vying for the signature of Bologna’s talented defender, Riccardo Calafiori. The 22-year-old Italian has been in high demand following his impressive performances at the recent Euro 2024 tournament.

Calafiori, who primarily plays as a centre-back but can also operate as a left-back, has attracted interest from several top clubs across Europe. Chelsea and Arsenal have both expressed their interest in the player, with the Blues even scouting him earlier this year. However, Juventus remain the frontrunners in the race for Calafiori’s signature, with the player reportedly preferring a move to the Italian giants.

Bologna, who are resigned to losing the Azzurri starlet, will demand a premium fee for the defender, likely to be upwards of £40million. The club is currently waiting for the Euros to finish so they can see other proposals and expect to see Premier League clubs jump into the race for Calafiori.

Arsenal are keeping a close eye on the situation, but it remains to be seen how they will move for the player. The Gunners could be in the market for a new defender, especially if they lose Jakub Kiwior, who is also wanted by Juventus and AC Milan.

Liverpool are also reportedly interested in Calafiori, with the Reds looking to strengthen their left-footed centre-back options. However, they face stiff competition from Chelsea, who have also shown interest in the player.

Despite the interest from several top clubs, Calafiori’s preference remains to go to Juventus. The Old Lady have an agreement in principle with the centre-back, but they consider Bologna’s asking price of £50million to be too high, as of now.

As the transfer window heats up, it will be interesting to see where Calafiori ends up. Will he stay in Italy and join Juventus, or will he move to the Premier League and join one of the English clubs interested in him? Only time will tell.