Premier League title hopefuls Arsenal are dipping into the transfer market and are inching ever closer to the signing for Bologna fullback Riccardo Calafiori.
The 45m Euros rated Italy star has been tracked by the Gunners for weeks and the UK press reported that a breakthrough was very close at the end of last week. On Saturday it was revealed that the two clubs have reached an agreement for the 22 year old, at a fee of 40m Euros plus 5m in potential add-ons and a sell on clause in favour of the Serie A side.
Bologna was the surprise package in Italy’s top flight last term, and Calafiori had a brilliants season, making him a first pick in the Azzurri’s Euro 2024 squad. He put in some dominant displays in Europe, strong at the back and a powerful runner going forward, and Italy flopped without him in the Round of 16 defeat to Switzerland when Calafiori was sidelined through suspension.
If Arsenal can get this deal over the line it will be a positive move for head coach Mikel Arteta who expressed concern over the inactive market a couple of weeks ago. And Arteta is working on strengthening his attacking group too, looking to add a wide man, with Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams recently linked. The 22 year old shone for Spain at the Euros and his stock has risen sharply, but reports in Spain suggest the winger would prefer a move to Barcelona; not such a long way from Bilbao.
Arsenal may look elsewhere for a wide man and Wolves winger Pedro Neto has said openly that he would be happy with a move to the Emirates this summer. The Gunners have entered initial talks with the Portuguese star’s representatives and, if Arteta is keen, then he is the favourite to sign the 24 year old with Chelsea (who else?) also in the hunt.
The Premier League 2024 betting odds, here at SBOTOP, place the Gunners as second favourites to win the league behind odds-on reigning champions Manchester City who are eying a record fifth consecutive title. Pep Guardiola has said he expects a relatively quiet summer and he already has the players at the club who can dominate the league. His policy has been to add incrementally year on year, putting faith in youth, and Guardiola’s first move thus summer was to bring in 20 year old Brazilian winger Savio from Troyes at a cost of £21m, rising to £34m with add-ons.
He has just returned from Copa America duty with the Selecao and Savio will join the Sky Blues on their pre-season tour of the United States, and he will provide another exciting option to wing wizard Jeremy Doku.
Bad boy Enzo is in a whole heap of trouble
Chelsea have been active in the market but they have a problem with one of their existing players. Midfield dynamo Enzo Fernandez can’t stay out of the news at the moment and all for the wrong reasons. He has just been found guilty of failing to identify the driver of a Porsche which allegedly ran through a red light in Wales; and he’ll be sentenced in September.
Fernandez wasn’t at the hearing in court on Wednesday, which is hardly surprising as he is still dealing with the fallout of his latest mess. After Argentina beat Colombia to win the 2024 Copa America the Chelsea player was in the midst of the Argentine team celebrating on a bus by singing a racist and homophobic chant about France, a nation they seem to have a running argument with.
The video of the singing went viral and subsequently Fernandez released a carefully worded statement saying ‘he stands against discrimination in all forms.’ Whether those words will be enough to save him remains to be seen but this young star is treading on very thin ice.
In other Premier League 2024 news the new manager at Liverpool, Arne Slot, has overseen his first game as the Reds boss, a defeat to Preston North End as the Championship side scored the only goal of the game, a 40 yard stunner from veteran midfielder Robbie Brady. The result won’t worry Slot much but he is another manager who is keen to strengthen his team as well as keeping hold of his best players.
Liverpool fans are ready for some good news but they will be amused to hear there is a more serious problem over the road at Everton where the takeover hopes of the Toffees have been dashed by Friedken Group’s unwillingness to complete a purchase. The group, led by Texan billionaire Dan Friedken owns Serie A side Roma and were granted exclusivity to buy Everton, but they have failed to reach an agreement to save the perennial strugglers.
Life is never simple for the fans on the Blue half of Merseyside!
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