“Versatile” Riccardo Calafiori is a player who could “fit very well” into the Arsenal squad, says Italian football journalist Daniele Verri.
The Gunners are believed to be closing a deal with Serie A side Bologna for the 22-year-old defender.
Calafiori progressed to senior football from Roma’s academy and joined Swiss side Basel in 2022.
He spent just one campaign in Switzerland’s top flight before moving to Bologna for €4m (£3.3m) and was a key player in helping them to an unlikely Champions League place last season .
Verri told BBC Sport: “He can play on the left wing or on the left side of defense. He can also play as a defender, where he improved a lot last season at Bologna.
“He is strong physically, but he is not a typical Italian defender like a [Giorgio] Chiellini, then a defender who scores a lot. He is technically very talented and is a player who can build the game from the back.
“In a possession situation, Calafiori tends to work on the field and become a sort of midfielder. This will be very useful for Arsenal, who like to have more seasons when they build their game with short passes. I feel really good about it.”
His versatility means he could compete with Gabriel in central defense or Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back, both of whom led in key statistics such as dribbling and interceptions per 90 minutes last season.
Moving to a midfield position is a real possibility, having previously said that from Manchester City John Stones “is my reference” and “his playing style is the closest to mine”.
“Calafiori brings his technical quality, his understanding of the game, his ability to build the game and look for the right movement and situation when building the game from the defense,” added Verri.
“He will be useful for playing long or short balls to the midfielder and creating an extra man in midfield when they are in possession.”
