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Extended Clip - Riccardo Calafiori To Arsenal: Transfer News, Position, Stats, Skills, Style Of Play (Ep. 432)
1.8k Plays1 year ago
After a fantastic season with Bologna in Serie A, followed by an international breakthrough for Italy at EURO 2024, Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese do a profile deep-dive on Riccardo Calafiori who is one step away from signing for Arsenal in the Premier League.
This is a clip from the weekly Thursday episode of the Italian Football Podcast.
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Transcript
Introduction: Riccardo Calafiori's Euro 2024 Performance
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. Let's talk about Riccardo Calafiori, who was one of the few positives from this disastrous Euro 2024 for Italy. This week, the next days actually, it can be very, very important in deciding the future of Riccardo Calafiori, who It now looks like is about to join Arsenal. They are the red hot favourites for him. They are in negotiations and not quite advanced, but moving towards that way. um They are um very close to agree in personal terms, according to my information, with Catafiori. He's now open to the move. Bologna and Arsenal are in talks over a transfer fee. Bologna are asking for 50 million.
00:00:51
Speaker
I understand that they are quite close to that 50 million asking price.
Transfer Talks: Arsenal vs. Juventus
00:00:58
Speaker
And I've been speaking to to Steve Kay, who's a friend of the show, great guy, got brilliant contacts at Arsenal. ah he He says that Giorginio actually recommended Califuri to Michel Arteta. Michel Arteta really likes him. um So it looks like Arsenal are probably going to to get him Juventus. are pretty much out of the race now which is gutting I know to a lot of Juventus fans and probably for Italian football ah in in general but he's just become too expensive. Juventus already had agreed personal terms with
00:01:35
Speaker
with Calafuri before the Euros. Calafuri actually wants to join Juventus, that they're his preferred choice. And the problem is that... in it was No, his preferred choice full stop. He he he wants to join Juventus, Calafuri. The problem is that his his his his asking price, his value has skyrocketed because of the Euros. Juventus had pretty much Agreed evaluation with bologna of around twenty five twenty seven million euros before the euros started then the euros happened category was had an incredible group stage and all the interest came in from from abroad Premier League clubs.
00:02:20
Speaker
ah Arson and Chelsea in particular have also Real Madrid by Levakus and there's become like almost like a bidding war was about to erupt and and his Bologna have put his price tag, you know rightfully so, up to something that's more of a fair valuation for him ah towards 50 million. Juventus cannot afford that 50 million. and They can only afford really one more big investment this summer and that is going to be Koop miners. That is more of a priority. for Juventus in terms of Juncely, in terms of Mota, in terms of what what they want for the summer. So, Koop Miners is the is who they're going to make their big ah ah investment in now, between now and the end of the window, and they can't afford Koop Miners and Califuri. So, it's a big shame for Juventus. I think he would have been very important for the rebuild. We know their defence is not great, and he's a Mota player, and i think so it's a shame for Juve.
Serie A's Financial Struggles and Talent Drain
00:03:13
Speaker
I think
00:03:14
Speaker
um i think I think I'm not entirely sure Yuva are out of it because if Juntoly, which we're going to talk about, continues flogging players as good as he's done, um you know, they need to be quick, Arsenal, because if they're not, you just think think about it. ah mckinney ah you Mckenny's, Mckenny later, what's his name? Gatti Costage, one of these guys out and all of a sudden you've got money to buy ah to buy Calafiori. So Arsenal need to, if they want Calafiori, they need to step up and do it because otherwise it could be another Bremer situation where you're talking and Juventus just do it. So they need to, they need to, they need to watch that out.
00:04:04
Speaker
um So we'll see what happens there. But ah but yeah, it it depends on july being able to flog players. um Yeah, and I think he has the time. I think the only the only way Juventus could possibly still be in it is if Catafiori literally puts his foot down and says, look, I don't want any club other than Juventus. I will wait for them till the end of the summer. ah you know and And then if Juventus can afford him. they can afford him if they're prepared to pay that amount of money and as well. um But, I mean, it looks at the moment, it looks like, you know, he's he he's had the project sold to him by Arsenal and and he he seems to be happy. ah He's played abroad already, so it's not a problem for him to go and play ah abroad again. I just think it's a big blow for Juventus, but it's also within the context of the Italy National team, it's a big blow for Serie A, a big blow for, no, it's not a big blow for Italy if he's if he if he's a success.
00:04:58
Speaker
at Arsenal. It doesn't matter. now The problem is, this ah this we now we're here complaining about the lack of Italians at big clubs in Serie A. Milan are probably going to have we're going to come to milland millana probably can have no Italians in their tit-starting 11 next season. Juventus, as I work it out, I think are going to have one to two outfield Italians next next season. It will probably be Cambiaso, and Locatelli, if he can work his way, but he's been his future is not different. So I think one, maybe only one outfield Italian, Napoli, we're looking at one to two, if Ludi Lorenzo stays, Buongiorno will come in, Politano will leave. So we're looking at two at Napoli. So this is kind of where the financial resources of Serie A harms our teams when there's an Italian who wants to join an Italian top team like Califiori does, but Juventus couldn't afford him.
00:05:46
Speaker
Look, it's it's um I'm um'm a bit conflicted because there is no doubt that this is good for the Italian national team.
Impact on Italy's National Team
00:05:55
Speaker
Calafiori going to test his ability at Arsenal, a team fighting for the Premier League title, who plays in the Champions League, playing modern progressive football under Aterta, that's good for this Italy as long as Paletti's there, right? There's no doubt about that. um as for Seria.
00:06:20
Speaker
providing and he's a success Well, even if he isn't, I think it's an important well even if he isn't i think it's it's an important ah experience. But regardless, for the Seria, this is a thing that losing an Italian gem, you know like a Tonali, like a Donaruma, That's not a good thing. That's not a good thing at all. And that's that's that that that's that's not good for Serie A at all. no but Like star power, an Italian jewel, as they say, Gioello, that he goes and leaves the league. That's not good. and i'm kind of you know and And the reason for that is, I mean, a lot of people are saying, why aren't Milan going after him? Well,
00:07:02
Speaker
Milan, as ah as of one of our patrons said to me yesterday, he was a Milan fan. He's like, we could find someone like Alafiori for 15 million in France. So why should we pay 50? And that's how Milan looks at it. That's how the clubs look at it in Italy. And kind of like you said, they're priced out. Yeah, well, exactly. But it is what it is. millando by yeah I know he's Italian, but it doesn't matter. No, no, but lot and i'm saying no, it's not true. But what I'm saying is it's not like it's it's it's um the clubs look at it like that because they have a very limited budget.
00:07:38
Speaker
Um, and, and, and that's a shame that finances absolutely come into it. Yeah. There's no doubt about that. Yeah. So that's, that's, that's what's such a shame about this, but it is what it is. I still think that, you know, I don't think Juventus are out of it until he actually signed. So also don't need to be aware or else they'll get look at telly'd again, which remember when look at the leads. And yeah, Vlauvigt and Loketelid, which has happened to them before. um So they need to watch out. um but let's let's move Let's have a look at for for the Arsenal fans that are listening.
Calafiori's Early Career and Rise at Bologna
00:08:17
Speaker
Let's have a look at what they can expect from Calla Fury. We'll talk about his background and I think Nimr is going to start with that. And then we'll talk about more his his ability as a player and how he could fit in at Arsenal. So Nimr, if you want to talk a little bit about
00:08:32
Speaker
Who cut off your ears where he comes from? Yeah, he's born on 19th of May 2002 in Rome. He started his career when he was six years old at ah in Petriana, which is a ah ah club or an area close to the Vatican, which isn't exactly known for for having created many footballers that join Roma. um One of his earlier one of the well actually the director of that football school is you know said that from an early age you could see that he has a hunger that is far more superior to all the other boys his own age and he had a talent that was out of this world. um He joined Roma at the age of nine under the watchful eyes of Bruno Conti. He went to Trigoria
00:09:31
Speaker
um And and they they all agreed that he hasn't he had an absolutely insane talent. And they offered him a contract, a professional contract under 17, with the under 17 teams um at Roma. And and ah Rome journalists at the time said that he was one of the best Italian wing, but a full back, sorry, in circulation. um he He had Mino Raiola as his agent and it all looked like he was progressing well. um you know He was part of the Champions League squad that beat but Barcelona, reaching the semi-final. Of course, you know in October 2018, the infamous injury in the Primavera, the youth leagueak the Champions League Youth League, where
00:10:24
Speaker
again the um against the check team. um ah the and he he he was he he rehe he He got Vaclav Svoboda is the name of the player in the 82nd minute and um and in that game. ah he was He received a horrible tackle which the Rome primavera doctor quickly was there to put put his knee back together. and and they said that you know the The reports at the time said that if you had waited for him to wait and in in the hospital, who knows what how that could have happened. um Because when they arrived at the hospital,
00:11:08
Speaker
they um They said that it looks like um it looked like his knee had exploded. In fact, the quote from the doctor was that it's it this was not a football injury. It was the kind of injury you usually see in motocross. in motorcycle in motorocros you know um It's an incident that can happen once every 10 years even. um But this kid has unbelievable mental strength. He said himself about it that this injury and how he reacted to it was the step that made me understand that I could become a footballer at the highest level, especially mentally, because I i think of every difficulty that I've gone through and I always go forward stronger than before.
00:12:00
Speaker
So only 11 months later, he was returned. He was back on the pitch after that incredibly serious injury. um And he was, you know, he was, Monchi was there um and they sent him on loan to Genoa. He didn't really do that well there. He didn't quite enjoy it. And then he was sold in 2022 to but Basel for one and all one and a half million euros. And 40% is what I find, some say 50, but I've seen 40% official numbers of future resale.
00:12:38
Speaker
um But then, of course, um Bologna bought him on the 31st of August for about 4 million euros and there it was 50% future resale fee to Basel. And then since then it's been, you know, the rest is history as they say.
00:13:01
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. um if I mean, he he really exploded at Bologna under Tiago Motta. Tiago Motta has been been so, so important for his career. He, he you know, converted him from a left-sided centre back into, or from ah a left back into a left-sided centre back. And he was one of the best centre backs in the Serie A season ah of of last of this past season, 2023-24. Left centre back in Tiago Motta's 4-2-3-1 system. and he was a key player along with Zikze, probably the most important player for Bologna, qualifying for the Champions League, which is just ah an incredible, miraculous achievement for a team that hadn't been in Europe um this this century other than the Intertoto Cup. Bologna had the third best defence in Serie A and he
00:13:52
Speaker
He yeah is a modern centre-back. He was a revelation in the role. All the qualities and attributes that you need of ah ah a top modern defender, he has them. m t you know He's 22, he presses and reads the game so, so well. He was ranked third in Serie A this past season for interceptions. He's ah an aggressive front-footed defender. um He only, under Sandro Buongiorno from Torino and Giorgio Scalvini from Atalanta, averaged more interceptions a game for the past season. His use of the ball is brilliant. um he He brings the ball out of defence, he joins in the construction of the play and in midfield.
00:14:37
Speaker
his ball carrying, progressive ball carrying, he was in the 92nd percentile compared to centre backs in Serie A when it comes to to successful take-ons. He was in the 85th percentile for progressive carries. And of course we saw that at Euro 2024, that brilliant assist for Mateus Zakhani against Croatia in the 98th minute, where he picked up the ball from basically just outside his own penalty area. It was rolled out to him by Don Naruma. He then bombed up the pitch, drove up the pitch, played a 1-2 just inside the Croatia half with Davide Fraterzi, made another charge, straight direct at goal, committed a man, laid it off for the assist for Zacanya to curl it in.
00:15:22
Speaker
um So that kind of sums him up. His pass success rate is above was above 90% last season and that's despite a very high volume of passes and also passes that are not simple passes, you know, we're not talking about, you know, sideways passes and we're talking about very progressive passes and difficult passes and and ambitious passes. um He had five assists in Serie A last season, which is the the most ah for a centre-back in Serie A. He also had two for the Italy under 21s. Of course, he got that assist for Italy at the Euros um as well. um And that's an incredible number of assists for a defender. He also had two goals.
00:16:05
Speaker
um he can but He can defend as well. you know he He averaged 1.6 tackles a game. That's 10th among centre backs in Serie A last season. He's very good in the air. He's averaging two aerials, one per game, and which is which is a good number. um But what i what I really like about him also is that he he has the class, um but he has the personality. he's He's fearless. He wants the ball. He takes on responsibility. He doesn't shy away. And so, I mean, he really does have everything, really, in terms of attributes. In terms of Arsenal, where he fits in Arsenal, there's been a few different suggestions, like will he play as a left back or will he play as a left centre back?
00:16:54
Speaker
um I think, looking at what Arsenal need as a team and where their weakness was, Arsenal need a left-back.
Expectations at Arsenal
00:17:01
Speaker
And we know that Miklal Ateta likes his left-back to be inverted, somebody that can make a three, but more importantly, can come into midfield. coming to centre midfield when in the build-up and when in possession and we've seen that that Calipheora is so so good at that um so I think that maybe Arteta sees him as that but then maybe he sees him as a left centre back I mean Gabriel and Saliba had a great partnership last season so yeah maybe Arsenal should stick with those two but
00:17:30
Speaker
Callifuri will give something extra in terms of in possession and in with the use of the ball. We've seen that Arteta isn't shy to if he thinks he can upgrade someone that's already doing well, you know, like he did with Ramsdale in goal when he he had a very good season yet he changed and brought in Raya. Maybe he sees him as a left centre-back. So I don't know. We'll have to see what Arteta does there. But he certainly gives Arsenal more options, you know, whether it's at centre-back, whether it's at left-back. um It's an exciting, it will be an exciting signing for Arsenal. I think that it's like we said before, it's a big blow for Juventus. If they miss out on him, it's a big blow for Serie A losing and another Italian duel. It's one thing losing in foreign players.
00:18:14
Speaker
um but And I also think it's ah it's a big regret for Roma. I mean, how the hell can they let this guy go for just two million? Munchi. Munchi, Munchi, Munchi. Was it Munchi that let him go? Or was he really gone by then? He was Munchi. No, Munchi from what I understand. I think Munchi let him go. He might be Munchi that let him go originally on low. I'm not sure if he's the one that actually sold him. I think he was gone by then. But anyway, whoever let him go, I mean, it's how can you not see what this guy's potential was to lose him for 2 million and now he's going for 50 million. that's a That's a big, big regret. It's a big regret. But for Calla Fury, you know, it as Nima said earlier, it can be, ah you know, moving up a level, playing in the best league, the most competitive league in the world. um It can be good. ah Whether or not
00:19:07
Speaker
he would have been better in a at Juventus where he's playing in a guaranteed centre-back position, where he's guaranteed to start and be a leader for the team, rather than playing maybe at left-back in ah in a position which he's just converted yeah from. That's the big question mark for me on on whether it's a good move for Califuri or not. um But so it's ah for Arsenal, I think it's a very, very exciting signing.
00:19:32
Speaker
And I think that kiwi, this essentially means that kiwi or will leave Arsenal, which I think is in a couple of weeks, we could see links to Juventus. If if they sign Calafiori, I wouldn't be surprised if kiwi or is being linked to you, but if I'm perfectly honest with you. Yeah, I don't know how I feel about that. But yeah, but yeah, it's, it's a great sign for Arsenal, no doubt about it. But as for