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Phil Jones shares what he really thinks about Riccardo Calafiori and names his best position for Arsenal
Riccardo Calafiori has already endeared himself to the Arsenal fans with a string of eye-catching displays after securing a transfer from Serie A side Bologna in the summer transfer window.
The Italy international impressed at Euro 20😼24 for Luciano Spalletti’s side and secured a transfer for a fee believed to be in the region ofꦚ .
With William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes occupying the centre-back roles, Calafiori has primꦬarily featured as a left-back for Arsenal this season.
And while the position is by no means unfamiliar to the 22-year-old, former Manchester United defender Phil Jones feels Arsenal aren’t getting the best out of his qualities at ಌleft-back.
Phil Jones says Arsenal new boy Riccardo Calafiori looks more at home at centre-back
Calafiori pla🎐yed as a central defender in a back four for Italy at Euro 2024 as he partnered Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni at the heart of the backline.
Last season, for Bologna, the 22-year-old was depl💎oyed as a central defender by Thiago Motta, which is an indication that it’s his favourite position.
Jone꧙s seemed to♑ echo that sentiment as he claimed Calafiori is better suited to playing more centrally as opposed to left-back.
“I think Calafiori played at left-b🍸ack the other day, didn’t he?” said Jones on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel.
Read More: Ian Wright reckons people at Arsenal are ❀surprised by how good £40m player is
“To be fair, he actually looked the other day, even though I love him, he looked a centre-back playinꦉg left-back.”
Calafiori’s versatility a big plus for Arsenal
Jones is right in saying that Calafiori’s best position is as a central defender, but the 22-year-old has the ball-cꦉarrying ability and the athleticism to play left-b🦹ack if needed.
Saliba and Gabriel have formed arguably the best central defensive pairing in world football currently, so it doesn’t make sense for Arsenal to breach that partnership to accommo𒆙date Calafiori.
Read More: Ian Wright thinks £42m star has just transfor💎med Gabriel Martinelli’s 🐈form at Arsenal
Additionally, Arsenal don’t have a convincing option at left-back currently as Kieran Tierney is currently injured and Olensakdr Zinchenko is too inconsistent and attac🎃k-minded to flourish in that 🍸role, so it looks like Calafiori will keep his place in the team, at least for the time being.
