Arteta reveals the exact moment he fell in love with his Arsenal signing Riccardo Calafiori

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed his admiration for new signing Riccardo Calafiori, admitting he was instantly drawn to the Italian left-back’s unique qualities.

“I fell in love with him,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “I watched him a year ago. I saw something different – an aura, a charisma, a presence that was not only related to his skill.”

Arteta was particularly impressed by Calafiori’s maturity and resilience. “We started to follow him & we saw a player – he was 21 at the time – that was doing things & reacting to things in a way a 21-year-old normally doesn’t. He had a really difficult past as well, a difficult knee injury, the way he reacted to that.”

Calafiori’s unwavering determination to succeed was a major factor in Arteta’s decision to bring him to Arsenal. “When I met him, I said, ‘For sure’. He was so convinced, he only wanted to come to Arsenal, he only wanted to play for us, so I’m really happy to have him!”

The Italian arrived at the Emirates Stadium this summer from Bologna for a fee believed to be around €45 million. With the new season just days away, Calafiori will be eager to make his mark on the Arsenal squad.

Arteta’s glowing praise suggests high hopes for Calafiori’s future at Arsenal. The manager’s faith in the young defender, coupled with Calafiori’s own ambition and resilience, suggests an exciting partnership that could flourish in the coming seasons.