Arsenal player says he made himself “loved straight away” by fans – Gunners helped him make ‘great leap’

Arsenal were successful in overcoming competition in the race to sign Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna in the summer window.

The centre-back arrived at the Serie A side in August 2023. His fine displays had attracted interest from several clubs and Arsenal came out on the top in the end.

Calafiori has made five appearances in all competitions for Arsenal. He scored his first goal for the Gunners in their 2-2 draw against Manchester City last weekend.

The 22-year-old has been speaking to Tg1 and believes his strike against Pep Guardiola’s side has helped him ‘win over’ the Arsenal fans. His comments are relayed by Corriere dello Sport.

“Maybe it’s a bit early, but I’ve made myself loved straight away. I’ve settled in really well thanks to my teammates and the people who work here,” he said.

It was no surprise to see the Italy international being asked about the difference between the Premier League and the Serie A. The defender has expressed his delight over joining Mikel Arteta’s side.

“I don’t feel like saying it’s superior to ours, but it’s certainly different. There’s more intensity: it’s a league apart. Coming to England was a great leap for my career,” Calafiori explained.

Juventus showed keen interest in the defender before he opted to join the north London club. Juve technical director Cristiano Giuntoli has stated it’s a regret for the Serie A sides to have lost the Italian.

The Arsenal player, who made his debut for Italy in June, represented the national team at Euro 2024. The Azzurri were eliminated in last 16 and Calafiori wants Italy to put the disappointment behind him.

“It’s a new cycle. Let’s try to forget what happened, and rather use it to our advantage to avoid repeating the same mistakes of the past,” he added.