Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori joined Arsenal this summer from Bologna on a deal reported to be around £42million.
After an outstanding season in the Serie A where he helped Bologna qualified for the Champions League, Calafiori made a big move to England.
The 22-year old has settled quickly in English football, and has already scored in the Premier League against Manchester City.
Calafiori stood out with his performances for Italy during the international break. After the Israel game, national media sang his praises.
Italian journalist Valentina Ballarini questioned how clubs in Italy failed to keep the defender in the league:
“Losing Calafiori was madness. I don’t know how to define it in any other way. It was a madness in our football, the most evident in recent years.
“There have been many, it’s true, caused by the economic power that we no longer have for some time, but that of Calafiori drives me crazy in a negative way.”
“How could Roma lightheartedly let go of a player like that? How could they not see his infinite potential and not trust him despite his many physical problems? Why didn’t Juventus go all in on the defender instead of spending €50m for Douglas Luiz and €15m for Cabal?”
Riccardo Calafiori says he was in contact with Arsenal for over a year
The Italian defender revealed that Arsenal had been in contact with him for over a year, and that the decision to join Mikel Arteta in North London was an easy one:
“They started so early, around one year before. Mikel started to call me a bit and wanted to explain what they thought about me. He wanted to convince me but I was already convinced.”
Calafiori has played five Premier League games this season out of a possible seven, and has earned Mikel Arteta’s trust.
Italian defender says he learnt the English language from watching television
The Italian was speaking to BBC on life in England after his summer transfer. Calafiori says he learned basic English from watching movies and playing video games:
‘I don’t know, since I was a kid. I started maybe with Netflix and with the lyrics of songs, UK Drill.
‘Now I’m still learning, I want to have lessons, I want to improve a bit.’
The defender has had to adjust to the cuisine in England too, despite his initial expectations of how the food would be.
‘I expected worse, to be honest. It’s not so bad. Fish and chips is not bad. Once per month you can eat this,’ he said.
‘I want to feel the whole experience. Become an English person.’
