%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
When will Riccardo Calafiori play his first game for Arsenal?
- Riccardo Calafiori joined from Bologna in £42m deal
- Defender teamed up with squad in the USA but did not play
- Arsenal have two friendlies before start of 2024/25 season
Arsenal supporters will not have to wait much longer to catch a glimpse of new arrival Riccardo Calafiori.
The Gunners moved for the versatile Italian defender off the back of a breakout 2023/24 campaign with Bologna, and the club completed a £42m after Calafiori had returned from an impressive Euro 2024 with an otherwise disappointing Italy.
We were forced to be patient amid back-and-forth negotiations which included multiple sticking points, but the Calafiori deal was completed quickly enough for the player to join his new teammates out in the United States.
He had taken to the training field by the time Arsenal suffered a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in Philadelphia, but Mikel Arteta opted against using his shiny new toy during the Gunners' final game of the tour. So, when are we going to see Calafiori in Arsenal colours for the very first time?
When will Riccardo Calafiori play his first game for Arsenal?
Building up to Bayer Leverkusen 💪
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 5, 2024
📸 See our preparations at Sobha Realty Training Centre ahead of our Emirates Stadium return 👇
Arsenal wasted no time to return to north London after completing their tour across the pond last Wednesday evening. They were back in the country on Thursday and Arteta's squad has been further bolstered by the returns of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, David Raya, William Saliba, and Aaron Ramsdale.
The quintet are back at London Colney and were all involved in training alongside Calafiori on Monday. Arsenal have been preparing for their penultimate friendly of the summer on Wednesday against Bayer Leverkusen, but the new Italian was not deemed ready to feature.
Riccardo Calafiori in training 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/yPnXYO3Gke
— Doc (@karthikadhaigal) August 5, 2024
Both he and Jurrien Timber weren't risked on a dodgy American pitch last time out with Timber said to be carrying an injury, and Arteta is seemingly unwilling to risk Calafiori right away. However, there is a chance he will feature against Lyon in the Emirates Cup on Sunday before the Premier League opener against Wolves on 17 August.
It'll be fascinating to see how the Spaniard goes about utilising the unicorn defender, who's capable of performing a myriad of roles in an ever-evolving system. We've seen Arteta tinker throughout pre-season with both personnel and configurations, and that theme will permeate into the fresh campaign.
READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS HERE!
feed