Arsenal are still without a major signing this summer transfer window, but they did formally announce that David Raya has now converted his loan deal into a permanent move. Perhaps Riccardo Calafiori will be the first deal to get over the line. The Gunners bid €47 million for the 22-year-old Italian stallion, but Bologna rejected it outright.
Chelsea are said to be offering players, or maybe players plus money while Arsenal are putting up straight cash.
???? After Riccardo Calafiori’s green light to move and contract, Arsenal have made direct contact with Bologna.
Talks between clubs have started.
No issues on Calafiori’s contract terms, up to the clubs now.
Arsenal currently ahead, no bid from Chelsea so far. pic.twitter.com/nUOfD836Cp
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 4, 2024
However, as you can see from the Fabrizio Romano tweet above, Chelsea have yet to make a bid for Calafiori. And while a whole bunch of teams (I mean the list is really long) are/were said to be interested in Calafiori, Bologna will only sell to a club outside Serie A.
The club leadership has already said publicly that a sale of this center back to Juventus will not happen.
The Evening Standard has more.
Chelsea, so far, have been as active as any team in the window adding several players: Estevao Willian, Tosin Adarabioyo, Omari Kellyman, Marc Guiu and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall among others.
If they want to go and get Calafiori, and perhaps even hijack Arsenal’s potential deal, then you know they will.
Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are certainly not trigger shy when it comes to buying players.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.