Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal is imminent, may undergo medical in USA

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Arsenal have almost wrapped up their first signing of the season as Italian centre-back Riccardo Calafiori is set to join the Premier League giants.

Calafiori was one of Arsenal's prime targets and the defender is likely to join the team this week.

Arsenal successfully negotiated personal terms with the 22-year-old centre-back, a five-year contract worth €4 million. However, the transfer faced delays due to club-to-club issues.

The primary complication arose between Bologna and FC Basel, Calafiori's previous club. Bologna owed Basel 50% of any sale proceeds, a significant portion of the transfer fee. This led the Italian club to explore ways to maximise their earnings from the deal.

Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal

Eventually, Arsenal and Bologna reached an agreement on the transfer fee. The Premier League team agreed to pay €40 million plus an additional €5 million in add-ons for the centre-back. A sell-on clause was also part of the agreement.

Despite this progress, Basel and Bologna still needed to finalise the payment terms for their agreed 50% sell-on clause. This aspect of the deal required careful negotiation to satisfy both clubs.

The inclusion of a sell-on clause meant that Basel would receive a substantial share of any future sale proceeds. This arrangement added complexity to the negotiations but was essential for reaching a final agreement. The Bologna defender was approached by many clubs but was adamant to only join Arsenal.

Calafiori to join Arsenal in USA

Calafiori will join Arsenal in their pre-season tour in USA. The Italy international is set to undergo a medical in Los Angeles. The Gunners are currently in the states for their pre-season tour. They are up against Bournemouth today in a friendly.

Calafiori's announcement may come on Friday and the player may be available for selection on Sunday when the Gunners take on Manchester United.