Arsenal have been warned that while new signing Riccardo Calafiori looks great with the ball, he has a weakness in his game that could be a cause for concern.
The Pitch Prospect has learned that the Gunners have reached an agreement in principle with Bologna to sign the 22-year-old defender, who is known for his versatility in the back line.
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Calafiori will reportedly travel to London on Friday evening to complete his medical before flying out to join his other Arsenal teammates on their pre-season tour of the United States.
The Italian is a youth product of Roma and signed his first contract in the summer of 2018.
After a season at the Swiss club Basel, he moved to Bologna last summer, where he was used as a central defender by coach Thiago Motta and developed into one of the best players in Serie A.
Earlier this year he helped Bologna qualify for the Champions League for the first time in almost 60 years and after impressing with the Italian national team at Euro 2024, Arsenal acted quickly and brought him on board.
The north Londoners already have William Saliba and Gabriel as a central defender pairing, both of whom were rock-solid in Arsenal’s bid to topple Man City last season.
However, Calafiori can also play as a full-back, and The Pitch Prospect’s Stuart Pearce compares him to another Gunners star.
“Ben White managed to turn a centre-back into an attacking full-back and I think Calafiori is one of those players,” the English football legend said on the White and Jordan Show.
“He is one of those defenders who likes to go forward with the ball, he showed that well at the European Championships.
“I don’t think he’ll have too many problems there.”
However, Pearce highlighted one area where he believes Calafiori may struggle despite his impressive track record.
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“The only problem he might have is when you have to defend those one-on-one situations on the flanks,” he added.
“How good is he at it? And that’s the mark of a good full-back.”
If Arsenal manage to sign the player, Calafiori could be in action as early as Sunday when the Gunners face Man United in a friendly.
The Italian would be Arsenal’s first first-team signing of the summer transfer window and their second official signing following the activation of the £27 million clause converting David Raya’s loan from Brentford into a permanent transfer.
The north London club have also brought in two new goalkeepers, Lucas Nygaard from FC Nordsjaelland and Tommy Setford from Ajax, who have joined the academy.