Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal transfer announcement hint dropped amid $54m agreement

Arsenal is on the brink of securing a transfer deal for Riccardo Calafiori, with Leonardo Bonucci effectively confirming the player's imminent departure from Italian football. The 22-year-old left-sided center-back back is set to join the Gunners following an agreement on payment terms with Bologna, finalizing a move that had been in the pipeline for weeks.

Negotiations were tangled up by the percentage owed to Calafiori's previous club, FC Basel, yet despite the complexities, the Premier League now awaits the defender. Bonucci, who hung up his boots recently, shared his thoughts on the transfer while at the Giffoni Film Festival, telling Sky Italia : "I'm sorry about his transfer," and adding, "I would have liked to see him at Juventus ."

Bonucci praised Calafiori's unique qualities as a defender, highlighting his play, personality, and ability to integrate well into a team. He lamented Italy's loss of a talent he believes will be pivotal for the national side for years to come. An agreement worth $54m (£42m/€50m) has been reached , reports Football London .

READ MORE: Liverpool may be about to get the biggest star in the Premier League and it's not even close
READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Takefusa Kubo bid, Odilon Kossounou inquiry, Goncalo Inacio price drop

This endorsement carries weight, coming from a veteran of 121 international appearances for Italy, surpassed only by legends like Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, and Paolo Maldini. Bonucci's praise is particularly notable given that Calafiori has only recently made his senior debut and has a mere four caps to his name.

However, the Rome-born player quickly made a name for himself alongside Alessandro Bastoni at the European Championship. His reputation only grew when he was absent due to suspension during Italy's first knockout round exit to Switzerland.

His performances came on the back of an impressive debut season with Bologna, where they secured a Champions League spot after finishing fifth in Serie A, ahead of Calafiori's childhood club, Roma. Bouncci, who had previously faced the defender four years ago when Juventus played against Roma, expressed admiration for his successor in central defense.

Liverpool.com says: Calafiori was linked with Liverpool but the Reds didn't believe that he was the perfect option to go for. Hopefully, they have an alternative lined up. Not signing a center-back this summer would be a risk in Arne Slot's first season .