Arsenal have turned down an approach from AC Milan for Riccardo Calafiori, as the Italian defender looks to fight for his place in Mikel Arteta’s plans next season. Despite a challenging debut campaign filled with injuries and limited starts, Calafiori remains committed to proving himself at the Emirates.
The Gunners signed the 22-year-old for £42 million from Bologna last summer, beating rivals Chelsea to his signature. He was one of Italy’s standout performers at Euro 2024, even as the national team disappointed. However, his domestic season saw inconsistency and positional shifts, with most of his minutes coming as a left-back rather than his preferred centre-back role.
His chances at centre-back remain slim due to the strong pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, while competition at left-back has intensified with Myles Lewis-Skelly’s emergence. Still, Arsenal and the player have both dismissed the idea of a move, with Calafiori expressing his desire to remain in London and improve on last season.
The Daily Mirror reports that AC Milan reached out to discuss a possible transfer, only to be turned away by both club and player. Calafiori himself acknowledged the difficult year, citing a lack of consistency as the main issue, but emphasized his belief that he belongs at the top level of English football.
While Arsenal are holding firm on Calafiori, they appear more open to other exits. Oleksandr Zinchenko has been made available for talks with AC Milan after falling down the pecking order, and Jakub Kiwior’s future remains uncertain despite interest from the Serie A side.
Mikel Arteta is expected to reshuffle parts of his squad after a trophyless season and is keen to create depth while managing fitness and form across competitions. Calafiori, for now, remains part of that vision and will be aiming to make a stronger impact in his second year at the club.