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Arsenal close in on Riccardo Calafiori transfer - sources

Arsenal are close to finalising a deal with Bologna for defender Riccardo Calafiori, who is expected to undergo a medical in the coming days, sources have told ESPN.

The 22-year-old is set to join up with Arsenal in the United States as their pre-season tour continues with games against Manchester United and Liverpool over the next week.

Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal will pay in the region of €50 million ($64m) for Calafiori with a significant chunk of that amount due to his former club Basel, who negotiated a sell-on fee when allowing him to move in the summer of 2023.

Calafiori is an Italy international capable of playing at centre-back and left-back. He featured in all three of Italy's group-stage matches at Euro 2024 and is set to become Arsenal's first addition of the summer after making David Raya's loan move to Brentford permanent in a deal worth £30m ($38m) in total.