Arsenal now favourites to land “monster” star who’s like Ben White

It’s been over three weeks since the transfer window swung open, and while there has been some movement here and there, it feels like clubs are waiting for the European Championships to end before really splashing the cash.

In the case of Arsenal, they have made two permanent signings thus far, welcoming 18-year-old Lucas Nygaard to the team and executing the option to buy in David Raya’s loan deal from Brentford.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are edging closer to securing the services of Bologna’s star defender Riccardo Calafiori after agreeing personal terms with the Italian.

The journalist revealed that the Gunners are now the clear favourites to land the player’s signature, as there have been no talks with Paris Saint-Germain, Bayer Leverkusen, or Chelsea Football Club.

An earlier report from Romano revealed that the North Londoners have agreed to a five-year deal with the 22-year-old that will see him earn €4m-per-year, the equivalent of around £3.4m.

Reports over the last week or so claim that the transfer fee will cost Arsenal around £42m, and while it’s a lot of money altogether, Calafiori looks like an incredibly exciting defender, and the fact he shares some similarities with White is undoubtedly reassuring.

The similarities between Calafiori and White

So, while Calafirori enjoyed an exceptional Serie A campaign with Bologna last season and helped them qualify for the Champions League, he really caught the eye of the wider footballing world thanks to his impressive displays for a lacklustre Italy team at the Euros this summer.

In the three games he did feature, he played as a centre-back, but across his career, he’s started more games at full-back, in the first fundamental similarity he shares with White.