Real Madrid have tried to sign Arsenal‘s Riccardo Calafiori but the transfer looks very unlikely in the summer window.
The defender has now played 68 times in all competitions in two seasons for the Gunners. This is the most he has ever played for a single club in his career, despite occasional injury worries.
He has filled in at centre-back and at left-back, often showing reliability in fitting into Mikel Arteta’s system.
This versatility and technical ability is probably why Real Madrid came calling. Sport Witness covered Los Blancos’ initial contact, with Jose Mourinho keen on the Italian.
Now, the player’s stance about his exit from Arsenal has emerged.
Deal very difficult
Tuttomercatoweb report that the Spanish side conducted initial surveys for Calafiori. But the Gunners’ position on the deal is now ‘extremely clear’.
They have no intention of letting the Azzurri star leave. He is seen as a key player by Arteta and even if he isn’t off-the-market, the Gunners would want a three-figure fee to sell him.
That is unlikely to come from Real Madrid, with Ibrahima Konate having joined.
At the same time, the player is very happy in London and has no intention to leave. While he has often spoken about returning to Italy at some time in the future, his valuation rules out a move to Serie A.
2027 could be a better time
As things stand, Calafiori’s contract at Arsenal runs out in the summer of 2029. This reduces the Gunners’ need to sell as they can still get another good year out of him.
2027 might be a better time to sell. That could be Arsenal’s last time to earn a huge fee from his sale, especially if the 24-year-old doesn’t extend his stay beyond the current deal.