GUNNERS ARE CLOSING IN ON £40m CALAFIORI

ARSENAL’S BREAKTHROUGH IN TALKS WITH BOLOGNA AS ITALY DEFENDER EYES MOVE TO NORTH LONDON

- Simon Collings

ARSENAL are edging closer to completing their first major summer signing, after a breakthrough in talks with Bologna over a deal for defender Riccardo Calafiori.

The Gunners are expected to pay around £40million for the 22-year-old, and reports in Italy suggest the deal could be finalised this week.

Arsenal have already made David Raya’s loan permanent for £27m this summer and yesterday signed 18-yearold English goalkeeper Tommy Setford from Ajax. But Calafiori will be their first big piece of business as they strengthen for another bid to topple Manchester City next season.

Talks over Calafiori with Bologna advanced over the weekend and a key part of negotiations is a sell-on clause that means his old club Basel are due 50 per cent of any transfer fee.

Arsenal want to sign a left-footed defender this summer and have beaten off interest from Juventus and other Premier League clubs in their bid to land the left-footed Italy defender, who can play centre-back and left-back.

Calafiori has been hailed by former Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci, who has been left disappointed his old club is looking to sell to Arsenal.