At long last, Arsenal would appear to be closing in on their first signing of the summer transfer window.
In Mikel Arteta’s first interview after the summer break, he admitted that things had been much slower in 2024.
That’s pretty understandable given the European Championships but by this time last year, the Gunners had signed three new players; Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and £105m man Declan Rice.
This summer the first arrival is set to be Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori. Arteta has been pushing internally for the signing and has been a big part of the deal.
Talks have been ongoing over the last two weeks or so but breakthroughs have been made this weekend.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have agreed a fee of £34m with Bologna, the same Italian side they plucked Takehiro Tomiyasu from.
Remarkably, the player’s ex-girlfriend has even confirmed the move.
That said, is another new signing about to walk through the doors of Colney?
Arsenal set to confirm two new signings
Edu and Co have been hard at work in recent weeks to get the club’s transfer business for the summer up and running.
Calafiori is no doubt an exciting signing but their pursuit of top young talent isn’t stopping there. It’s been no secret that they are trying to bolster the goalkeeper department this summer, notably making a bid for Wolves stopper Dan Bentley.
While he remains of interest, they are set to confirm the addition of highly-rated Ajax ‘keeper Tommy Setford.
He won’t be an immediate first-team figure but one that could push no.3 Karl Hein potentially all the way if he impresses.
The aforementioned Romano claims he is set to sign his contract with the club today (Sunday).
Yet to make his first-team debut for Ajax, Setford is particularly raw but one thing is for certain, the 18-year-old is one of the best young gloveman around.
Having already played for a host of England’s youth teams, it’s evident he’s rated by the coaching set-ups at the FA too, something he was only too happy to admit in an interview last year. “Not only are the U17 coaches happy with me, but the U21 coaches and the first team see that I perform well in England. They see a lot of potential in me,” Setford claimed.
So, what are his starring qualities? Well, analyst Ben Mattinson has already hailed him as one of “England’s most talented ball-playing goalkeepers at youth level.” That certainly sounds as though it ticks a large box for what Arteta looks for between the sticks.
While he is likely to begin playing youth football, he could be the man to eventually take over the number 2 duties from Aaron Ramsdale.
The £30m signing lost his place to Raya last summer and hasn’t been able to reclaim it since. Everyone at the Emirates Stadium loves his infectious personality but it does look as though he’ll be leaving soon in search of regular football.
You would imagine Arsenal will search for a more experienced number two if the England international does depart but in the incoming Setford, they have a perfect ball-playing stopper who could well take up that understudy role to Raya in the not-too-distant future and play it to better effect.
