Riccardo Calafiori shocks Arsenal with transfer admission

Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has admitted that he is desperate to play for AS Roma again “sooner or later.”

The Italy international has been with the Gunners since the summer of 2024, when Mikel Arteta personally demanded that he be signed following a standout campaign with Bologna and some impressive performances for Italy at Euro 2024.

After a lengthy saga, Arsenal ultimately managed to agree a €43.7 million deal for Calafiori, whose career had been on a clear upwards trajectory since leaving boyhood club AS Roma.

He had joined Basel for €10.5m in 2022, then moved to Bologna for €23.9m a year later, and he was again transferred for a healthy profit after just 12 months. Although talented from a young age, Calafiori had to revitalise his career in Switzerland and Bologna due to injury.

He had suffered a serious, almost career-ending injury during his time in Roma’s youth system, which severely hampered his development and meant that he has continued to struggle with fitness problems since.

Calafiori wants Roma return

Despite the injury, Calafiori managed to return to the pitch and even became a first-teamer at Roma. However, after a promising start, things unravelled, and he was sold after an underwhelming loan at Genoa.

Even though his time at Roma ended in disappointing fashion, the 23-year-old still loves the club. In fact, as he has now admitted on the Supernova podcast, he fully plans to play for the Giallorossi again eventually.

“I’d like to return to Roma sooner or later,” Calafiori said. “Obviously, we can’t plan our career now, but yes, I can imagine it. Also, because I left halfway. Everything started out really well: goals, I even had the chance to play a bit more.

“Then, for various reasons, I first went on loan, and then they sold me. It definitely didn’t go as I had hoped, for several reasons. Returning also to celebrate under the Curva Sud? That’s also why.”

Of course, Calafiori’s comments do not mean that he will look to leave Arsenal this summer. Given that his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) has risen from less than €20m to €52.8m since his move and that he has a long-term contract, Roma would struggle to fund a transfer for him.

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