Reports of Riccardo Calafiori joining Arsenal are premature, as there is still some work to be done. However, a big breakthrough has just been reached. Per transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, the Arsenal and Bologna have agreed on a transfer fee price: $49 million, which includes $5.4 million in add-ons and a sell-on clause.
There is one more hurdle to clear, before we get to medical and paperwork stage. Swiss club Basel, Calafiori’s previous club before Bologna, need to come to agreement on the 50 percent sell-on payment terms, before this deal can officially close.
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Kickoff (local time): Wed July 24, 7:30 pm, Dignity Health Sports Park, Los Angeles CA, USA
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In other words, Calafiori will still likely become Arsenal’s first major signing of this summer transfer window, but he won’t be with the club for the start of their preseason tour of the United States.
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Nether will Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz, who are on holiday after playing for their respective nationals at the Copa America and Euros this summer. According to the club website they “will join the squad from July 25.”
Ruled out of the tour entirely are Kieran Tierney (hamstring issue) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee injury), as they will remain in London to continue receiving treatment from the club. Meanwhile Declan Rice, Aaron Ramsdale, Bukayo Saka, David Raya (who recently officially converted his loan deal to a permanent one) and William Saliba will also not make the trip across the pond.
The quintet were all a part of national teams that made deep runs at Euro 2024, and are thus now on holiday.
The Gunners tour of the U.S. begins with a clash against AFC Bournemouth, which will be staged in Los Angeles, CA at the home of Major League Soccer club L.A. Galaxy.
There is major injury news it comes to the Cherries, as the fitness woes continue for midfielder Tyler Adams. He’s going to undergo back surgery, and the whole situation will keep him out for the preseason, and the start of the Premier League season.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.