BREAKING NEWS : Martin Odegaard evaluates Arsenal’s signing of Riccardo Calafiori following their pre-season loss to Liverpool.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard describes Riccardo Calafiori as a “top player” who has quickly made a strong impression during pre-season training following his arrival from Bologna.
The Gunners ended weeks of speculation by officially announcing Calafiori’s €50m (£42.1m) transfer on Monday. The Italian defender, who stood out at this summer’s European Championship, became Arsenal’s second signing of the summer transfer window after David Raya’s permanent move from Brentford.
Calafiori’s versatility was a major reason for Arsenal’s interest, as it could be highly advantageous for squad rotation under Mikel Arteta next season. The 22-year-old is comfortable playing both center-back and left-back positions.
On Tuesday, Calafiori got straight to work at Pennsylvania’s Subaru Park, where Arsenal’s players were preparing for their pre-season friendly against Premier League rivals Liverpool. However, Arsenal fans will have to wait a little longer to see Calafiori in action, as he was not included in Arteta’s squad for the 2-1 defeat, with goals from Mohamed Salah, Fabio Carvalho, and Kai Havertz.
When asked about Calafiori’s impact after the loss, Arsenal captain Odegaard said, “I think everyone saw immediately in training that he’s a top player and a top defender, physically. He has a presence on the pitch, and I’m sure he’s going to give us a lot. We’re happy to have him on board, and I’m looking forward to seeing more from him.”
Odegaard expressed that he is “very happy” with Arsenal’s current squad and doesn’t focus much on transfer rumors, despite the club being linked to several high-profile targets recently. “To be honest, I don’t focus too much on those things. It’s up to the club to decide all those things,” the Norway international added. “I’m very happy with the squad we have at the moment, and we’ll have some more players coming back at the end of the week, so I’m looking forward to that. We’re in a good moment, and we just have to keep pushing and get ready for the season.”
Despite being “a bit disappointed” by the defeat, Odegaard remains positive about the squad’s progress during their pre-season campaign. “In general, it’s been a good tour. We’re gaining a lot of fitness and getting good answers in the game,” the midfielder continued. “I think it’s been good, but obviously we wanted to win the game today, so we’re a bit disappointed now, but it’s pre-season. The main thing at the moment is to get ready, but always when we play, we want to win. Whenever you lose, you’re a bit disappointed, but the most important thing at the moment is that we’re getting sharper, getting fitter, and getting ready for a big season.”