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Arsenal have reportedly rejected an approach from AC Milan for the transfer of Riccardo Calafiori in the ongoing summer transfer window. Calafiori joined the Gunners from Bologna last summer for a reported fee of €45 million.
Although his maiden campaign at the Emirates Stadium was plagued by injuries, which restricted his appearances to 29 across competitions, the Italian still impressed in games he featured.
According to a report from Mirror, AC Milan showed interest in bringing Riccardo Calafiori back to Italy, but their approach was immediately turned down by Arsenal. Besides, it is believed that the 23-year-old wants to continue at the north London club.
To that end, the Serie A giants have reportedly shifted their focus to Oleksandr Zinchenko. Manager Mikel Arteta seems to be content on letting the Ukrainian left-back leave the club. Zinchenko was a regular for the Gunners in his first season at Arsenal following a move from Manchester City. However, he lost his position to Hale End graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly, who had a breakout campaign in the 2024-25 season.
While Lewis-Skelly seems to have cemented his position as Mikel Arteta’s first choice in the left-back position, Riccardo Calafiori would help to add depth to the position. Calafiori’s current deal at the Emirates Stadium will expire in the summer of 2029, and his current market value is €35 million, as per Transfermarkt.
“I will try to be more consistent next year” – When Arsenal star Riccardo Calafiori responded to Italy rumors
Before now, Riccardo Calafiori had addressed the rumors linking him with a move away from the Emirates Stadium. The defender cleared the air regarding his future last month after Arsenal’s Premier League match against Newcastle United.
He told Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio:
“I am very happy at Arsenal. In my opinion, what was missing was just continuity this year. I will try to be more consistent next year. When I was good, I always played and I also made the difference. The goal is just to stay in shape all year.
“For me personally, [my first season in England] was a great experience. Obviously when you win trophies it’s always better. Here I measured myself against the most important and difficult championship in the world.
“I saw that I can be there easily, this made me very happy and I am convinced of the choice I made. A regret? None, absolutely."
Despite the limited game time, Calafiori made five goal contributions for the Gunners in the just-concluded campaign, playing 1,497 minutes.
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Ezekiel Olamide
Ezekiel is a European football journalist who covers breaking news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accounting and has a work experience of around 3 years, having previously worked at the likes of Opera News Hub and Extratime Talk. He is a proponent of factual accuracy, meticulous research, verification of sources and journalistic ethics and standards.
An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel's journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles' fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium's incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.
Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.
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