Arsenal seem to be closing in on a deal to sign Riccardo Calafiori this summer.
By all accounts, the Gunners are close to getting this deal done with only a few finer details left to sort.
However, an announcement of this deal being done may be delayed.
Indeed, while Arsenal seem to be close to striking a deal, this move may not be rubberstamped for a little while yet.
Arsenal won’t announce Riccardo Calafiori yet
According to Marca, there will be no official movement on Calafiori until Bologna have signed a replacement.
The Italian club are about to lose both Calafiori and Joshua Zirkzee, and they have a big summer of incomings ahead of them.
Understandably, Bologna don’t want to let Calafiori go before they’re absolutely certain they’ll be able to replace him.
Luckily, this small hitch shouldn’t stop this deal from getting done.
Calafiori deal should still get done
While this may delay the official announcement of this deal, Calafiori should still be an Arsenal player before too long.
Indeed, Bologna have plenty of time to sign a replacement with deadline day still a number of weeks away, and they’re working on a potential deal already.
Marca note that Diego Leite is a player Bologna are keen on to replace Calafiori, and they are about to enter the bidding for the Union Berlin star.
Leite is said to be valued at €18m (£15m), and that fee shouldn’t be a deal as Bologna are about to receive huge fees for both Zirkzee and Calafiori.
Arsenal are seemingly just waiting to get the greenlight on the Calafiori deal, but, frustratingly, it may still be a little while before we get an official announcement on this move.
Unless something changes dramatically, Calafiori should still be Arsenal’s first new signing of the summer.
Arsenal still have plenty of business to tend to in this transfer window, so keep an eye on Mikel Arteta’s side and their movements in the market.
