Arsenal are hoping to complete the signing of Italian and Bologna Riccardo Calafiori this week after holding further talks with his club.
The 22-year-old is understood to have agreed terms after his impressive displays at Euro 2024. Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta is keen to push through the transfer before the Arsenal squad travels for their pre-season tour of the United States next week.
Negotiations over the fee and the structure of payments are believed to have progressed over the past few days, with Bologna likely to receive about £42m for the player they signed from Basel last summer for £3.4m.
The Swiss club are understood to be due 50% of any profit Bologna make from the sale of the defender.
Calafiori, who scored an own goal in Italy’s group-stage loss to Spain but set up Mattia Zaccagni’s stoppage-time equaliser against Croatia, excelled at Bologna last season in a three-man defense as he helped them qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The defender is also capable of playing at left-back and Arteta is said to view the former Roma player as a key addition as an inverted full-back capable of slotting into midfield positions. He will also be expected to provide competition to the established central defensive partnership of Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba.
Calafiori’s arrival could hasten the departures of Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko, both of whom were utilized at left-back last season.
Chelsea had shown interest in Calafiori, before agreeing to a deal to sign Renato Veiga from Basel. The defender had also previously been linked with Bayer Leverkusen and Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal hoping to improve in every possible department
According to Arteta, Arsenal are “looking to improve in every possible department” but said the market was “tricky” given the Euros and Copa América tournaments and tighter financial regulations for Premier League clubs.
Arsenal are also on high alert to swoop in and sign Crystal Palace centre-half Marc Guehi. Guehi is set to reject Crystal Palace’s new contract offer.
The 23-year-old has shone for England at Euro 2024 and now has a host of top clubs including Arsenal and Manchester United chasing his services as the Eagles look likely to lose their biggest three stars this summer (Olise, Guehi, and Eze).

Palace had been hoping to keep hold of centre-half Guehi for at least one more season after already selling Michael Olise to Bayern Munich.
Fellow England Euro 2024 ace Eberechi Eze has a £60million release clause, which both Tottenham and Manchester City are willing to trigger.
Guehi, who started the first four games of the tournament for the Three Lions but was suspended for penalty shoot-out victory over Switzerland on Saturday, still has two years left on his deal.
But unless Palace can persuade him to sign a new one then they may be forced to cash in.