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Riccardo Calafiori reveals what Jorginho told him about Arsenal during Euro 2024
Arsenal have finally completed the signing of Riccardo Calafiori, and Jorginho seems to have done his bit to help get the move over the line.
ཧThe Gunners had been chasing the Italian defender for a long time.
Links intensified once Italy suffered elimination from Euro 2024ꦇ, and after weeks of negotiations between Arsenal and Bologna, a deal was sealed.
Arsenal😼 announced the transfer on Monday, and Calafiori has shed some light on how his move to the Emirates Stadium came about.
Riccardo Calafiori shares how Jorginho convinced him to sign for Arsenal
It’s not every day that an Italian leaves his home country to move to the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta learnt that the hard way during his pursuit of 🐷Manuel Locatelli, who snubbed Arsenal and joined Serie A giants Juventus instead.
🀅There were fears among Gunners supporters that Calafiori could do the same, but the Italy international had his heart set on a move to the Emirates.
🌺Speaking to Arteta and Edu was enough to convince the versatile defender that Arsenal was the right club for him, but that wasn’t all.
Calafiori💮 has now revealed that his compatriot Jorginho, who he met for the first time during Euro 2024, also pushed him to leave Bologna and move to Arsenal.
༺Speaking to the , Calafiori said: “I spoke a lot with the coach and with Edu, and they convinced me, but I was already convinced by myself. I think it’s the best project for me for the next few years, and I think I will improve as a player.
“I just met [Jorginho🦂] one month ago, but I can see that he’s a really good guy. I was already convinced but he forced me.
♒“He said: ‘Come, come, come! You will enjoy being here, the team is amazing and the staff, everything is good.’ You can see that already from the first few minutes here.”
Calafiori solves a key problem for Arsenal
🌌Arsenal were one of the best teams in Europe in the 2023/24 season, but they weren’t perfect.
🥃The Gunners had several areas where there was room for improvement, and the left side of their pitch was arguably the biggest one.
🤡Arsenal lacked fluidity on that side following Granit Xhaka’s departure, and that lack of balance really affected them in both attack and defence.
Calafiori’s arrival goes a long away in solving that problem, and if Arsenal can now sign someone like Mikel Merino, they will become significantly stronger.
🎃Irrespective of what happens with their midfield, Calafiori is an unbelievable signing, and the fact that he is still only 22 means he can become a mainstay in Arsenal’s defence for the next decade.