While Arsenal are well stocked in the left-back department with the likes of Piero Hincapie and Myles Lewis-Skelly, losing a regular international like Calafiori would be a significant blow to Arteta’s project. The defender was notably the odd man out for the Champions League final, although he was carrying an injury at the time. Real Madrid may see this as an opportunity to test Arsenal’s resolve with a substantial offer in the coming weeks.
With Perez promising to bring "the best players" to the Bernabeu amid the electoral battle, the race for Calafiori's signature is set to become one of the primary sagas of the summer transfer window as Mourinho begins his rebuild in Spain.