Reports suggest that Real Madrid have once again focused on Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori in anticipation of the summer transfer window.
The Gunners invested £42m in Calafiori last summer when the Italy international joined from Serie A club Bologna, which is having another successful season in the Italian premier league.
Calafiori’s season hasn’t unfolded as he expected, as injuries have hindered his advancement in Mikel Arteta’s squad, with the 22-year-old making just 11 Premier League appearances this season.
The Arsenal defender has been performing well lately, although he sustained another injury while on international duty with Italy last week.
The Spanish site Fichajes claims that Real Madrid has ‘reactivated the option’ to acquire Arsenal defender Calafiori after previously contemplating his recruitment.
While the Spanish club ‘searches the market’ for defensive upgrades, ‘one of the names that is rising in popularity again’ is Calafiori, as the Arsenal defender ‘is once more piquing the interest of Real Madrid’s management’.
The report states:
Arsenal, recognizing the worth of their defender, will ensure his exit is challenging. His contract and interest from other prominent clubs create a financial obstacle for Real Madrid. The club is unwilling to meet any price and may explore other options if discussions become difficult. The focus is on securing reinforcements while maintaining financial strategies for upcoming investments.
The ultimate choice will rely on various aspects, such as Arsenal's readiness to negotiate and the player's position regarding a transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu. In the meantime, Real Madrid is carefully tracking his development, evaluating whether to make the final move to secure his signing or explore other market alternatives.
Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit asserts that, while he admires Calafiori, the Gunners should have focused on acquiring a striker instead of the Italy international.
Petit remarked in January: “They ought to have dealt with that in the previous transfer window. They ought to have purchased a forward. I understand that they enhanced the team's quality with a few players, but they reinforced positions where they were already well-stocked. They signed Calafiori, but they already possessed two or three players capable of playing at left back.
“I really admire Calafiori, but if you consider the young talent Lewis-Skelly, he’s performing excellently, and since Zinchenko is often on the bench, they have that area of the field secured.”
“I recognize that playing every three days while competing in various tournaments necessitates squad depth, but strengthening the striker position was essential.” "I was puzzled as to why Arsenal didn’t pursue a real striker last summer."
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