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Riccardo Calafiori confirms the Arsenal game he went to watch live last season, it had a memorable result
New Arsenal signing Riccardo Calafiori has now linked up with his new teammates stateside, immediately getting to work.
Mikel Arteta looked delighted when Arsenal announced the signing on Monday, a huge boost to his defensive options next season.
Calafiori is equally adept as a centre-back or as an inverted full-back, a left-footer who gives Arteta a lot more tactical freedom.
In some respects, Calafiori offers Arteta a similar positional profile to Jurrien Timber, who will also feel akin to a new arrival in the 2024/25 season.
And whilst William Saliba is unlikely to surrender minutes in any scenario, the rest of Arsenal’s back line could definitely be rotated more often.
Ben White now has a proper alternative in Timber, and Calafiori may already be eyeing Gabriel Magalhaes’ spot in the XI.
That being said, it’s just been shared that Calafiori has already seen Arsenal’s back line keep a clean sheet live at the Emirates.
Riccardo Calafiori watched Arsenal beat Crystal Palace 5-0 last season
Journalist shared the admission on X on Monday evening after speaking to Calafiori live in Philadelphia.
Calafiori simply shared: “I came to a (Arsenal) game in January against Crystal Palace. Now I’m here.”
Of course, it’s interesting to point out that Arsenal won 5-0 on that occasion, perhaps a game that convinced the Italian that his future belonged in north London.
Both Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli bagged braces on that day, with Leandro Trossard scoring Arsenal’s third goal.
Calafiori watched what is perhaps the most familiar back four of the last few years under Arteta: Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel, Saliba and White.
READ MORE: Arteta shares whether Arsenal are likely to spend over £100m on a new signing next month
And perhaps the 22-year-old was envisioning himself playing instead of Zinchenko – a realistic scenario next season.
Of course, Calafiori will also need to overcome Timber in order to start at left-back, another very capable option in the position.
Evidently Arteta has the kind of positive problem he was envisioning when he signed David Raya to challenge Aaron Ramsdale – competition which will likely end in a departure in that incident.
And when listing all of Arteta’s possible combinations above, it is difficult to imagine when Jakub Kiwior will get minutes for Arsenal, especially with Takehiro Tomiyasu not mentioned either.