Mikel Arteta, you are one sick individual. Another defender? Really? Another one? Boy, Shkodran Mustafi must have done a number on you. No but seriously, Riccardo Calafiori is an excellent signing for Arsenal .
£42million is very respectable too. The best defence in Europe gets even stronger. Addressing the situation at left-back is something Mikel Arteta absolutely had to do when his side fell short in the Premier League title race again.
We said as much here . Oleksandr Zinchenko is injury-prone and a defensive liability; Takehiro Tomiyasu is injured all the time; Jurrien Timber played one half of football in 2023/24; Jakub Kiwior is decent but Arsenal need better. And Kieran Tierney’s race is run.
The only one due any real sympathy is Timber, who many expected to have the left-back spot nailed. Despite the strength of the Gunners’ backline last season, the inconsistency at left-back was concerning. Now Calafiori is on his way and Arsenal are reportedly willing to listen to offers for Zinchenko and Kiwior , with Tierney very likely to be sold.
So what is the online hullabaloo all about? Instead of signing a new attacker – a prolific striker or cover/competition for Bukayo Saka – or defensive midfielder, Arteta has made the signing of a centre-back his top transfer priority when the most impressive aspect of his team last season was the centre of defence. Furthermore, Calafiori is a centre-back. A central defender.
He is going to play left-back for Arsenal. The evol.