Arsenal TRANSFER LIST star defender for surprise swap deal

Carlo Garganese

Updated: 4 May 2025 12:56 BST
3 min read

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Arsenal have put Riccardo Calafiori up for sale this summer after an underwhelming first season at the Emirates, according to MilanLive.

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Calafiori joined Arsenal from Bologna for €45 million last summer as one of the most exciting young defenders in Europe.

Current ETV

Riccardo Calafiori

D (CL)

Arsenal

Riccardo Calafiori

D (CL)

Arsenal

ETV Range

€44.3M - €54.2M

However, after a bright start, Calafiori has fallen down the pecking order at Arsenal and also increasingly struggled with injuries.

As a result, Mikel Arteta has decided to listen to offers for Calafiori at the end of the season. It has been reported that Arsenal would accept as little as €35m in order to offload the Italian.

Calafiori to leave Arsenal?

MilanLive report that AC Milan are very interested in signing Calafiori this summer.

And there may even be scope to discuss a swap deal which would see either Fikayo Tomori or Malick Thiaw go the other way.

Fellow Italian sides Inter Milan and Juventus have also been linked with making a move if Calafiori is available.

Calafiori has seen his path at centre back blocked by the formidable partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba.

Meanwhile, at left back the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly means there is no spot for him in this position too.

Calafiori is also seen as increasingly injury prone with five separate injuries seeing him miss 28 games in total this season for club and country.

Calafiori was one of the breakout stars of the Serie A season in 2023-24, playing a key role in Bologna’s shock qualification for the Champions League.

A modern centre back, Calafiori displayed all the qualities and attributes of a potentially top-class defender.

He was converted from a left back to a centre back by former Bologna manager Thiago Motta.

The defender also enjoyed a brilliant Euro 2024 group stage, setting up Mattia Zaccagni’s memorable 98th minute equaliser for Italy against Croatia.

But he has been unable to show enough of these qualities at Arsenal so far.