TEAMtalk

Tottenham have seemingly been boosted in their bid to bring in a dynamic attacking talent this summer following a fresh update from Fabrizio Romano.

Spurs have started the summer window seemingly meaning business, with highly-rated midfield talent Archie Gray arriving in a £30million deal from Leeds, while Timo Werner was also signed on loan for a second season and Lucas Bergvall will also officially arrive from Djurgarden.

Ange Postecoglou is also keen on getting another centre-back, central midfielder and striker on board as he looks to freshen up a squad that just missed out on Champions League football after a poor end to last season.

There remains an emphasis on attracting top young talent to the club though, and it appears that another winger is very much on Postecoglou’s radar.

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That’s perhaps not that surprising, given that Ivan Perisic and Ryan Sessegnon were both released and Bryan Gil is also expected to be offloaded.

Assuming that Tottenham do actually bring in a new No.9, that leaves Son Heung-min, Werner, Manor Solomon, Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson as the current wide attacking options for Postecoglou in his 4-2-1-3 formation.

The likes of Rennes star Desire Doue and Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams have also been linked with moves to north London, but neither of them will come cheap – so a swoop for another top Championship talent appears to make more sense.

Chase for Philogene hots up

Step forward Hull City forward Jaden Philogene, with Romano providing an update on the 22-year-old’s future.

The transfer insider claims the Tottenham target is prioritising a move to England’s top flight over a proposed switch to Barcelona.

However, should Spurs firm up their interest in Philogene, they will face competition from the likes of Everton, Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town for his signature.

All three clubs have already sent proposals to the winger after Barca’s recent attempt to land him on a season-long loan.

TEAMtalk, meanwhile, also understands that Manchester United have held discussions about the player.

It was claimed just last week that despite interest from the Catalan giants, Spurs and Everton were still in the race to land Philogene this summer.

The attacker enjoyed a tremendous campaign with Hull last season as they just missed out on the Championship play-offs, having 18 goal involvements in 32 league appearances.

But he now looks certain to quit the MKM Stadium this summer and almost certainly join a Premier League club.

If Tottenham do secure his signature, it will mean the capture of two of the Championship’s top performers from last season, although Spurs fans are sure to want more proven talent through the door too.

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It’s all well and good signing players with exciting potential but Postecoglou is in win-now mode, especially given the fact that club remain without any major silverware since 2008.

Indeed, at this stage of the summer window, bringing in a prolific No.9 should be Tottenham and Daniel Levy’s priority t bolster a side that created plenty of chances last season but did not always take them.

Manchester United are one of two Premier League sides weighing up a mind-boggling move for a player Tottenham are more than happy to offload, according to a report.

The expectation in north London is Tottenham will offload far more players than they sign this summer. Spurs aim to cut their bloated squad down to size and the likes of Ryan Sessegnon, Ivan Perisic, Eric Dier and Japhet Tanganga have all left as free agents. Tottenham also mutually agreed to terminate Tanguy Ndombele’s contract despite his deal having one year remaining.

To help boost the club’s spending power, permanent sales are being sought for Djed Spence, Emerson Royal, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Giovani Lo Celso, to name just four.

Spence’s permanent switch to Genoa has collapsed, though AC Milan have made fresh contact over the signing of Emerson Royal.

Another full-back Spurs hope to shift is Sergio Reguilon. The 27-year-old has entered the final year of his contract with Tottenham and given the emergence of Destiny Udogie, is now surplus to requirements.

Reguilon spent last season out on loan at Manchester United before going on to join Brentford in January.

Man Utd’s surprise move came at a time when their left-back ranks were decimated by injury. Reguilon joined on a season-long loan that contained a break-clause Man Utd could trigger in January.

Reguilon was solid if not spectacular during his brief spell with United, though the club did go on to activate their break-clause.

The Spaniard has since returned to north London where a more permanent exit is now being sought. According to a remarkable report from Spanish outlet AS, Reguilon could wind up back at Old Trafford.

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Man Utd, West Ham want Sergio Reguilon

They state the Red Devils are one of two Premier League sides showing interest in signing the left-back.

The other is West Ham who are managed by Julen Lopetegui. The 57-year-old knows Reguilon well through their shared time together at Real Madrid and then Sevilla.

Only a permanent move would make sense for Spurs given Reguilon is due to become a free agent in 12 months’ time.

A loan with an obligation to buy could suffice, though all that would do is delay the paying of the fee by a year which serves no purpose for Tottenham in the present.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has declared Man Utd WILL make a signing at left-back this summer. Luke Shaw struggled mightily with injuries last season, as did Tyrell Malacia whose long-term future at the club is unclear.

The end result saw Diogo Dalot, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and even Victor Lindelof tasked with deputising at left-back last season.

Reguilon to Man Utd would be a major surprise

Nonetheless, a Man Utd move would still come as a major shock given how eager the club were to cut Reguilon loose at the first opportunity last January.

Another factor going against the move is Reguilon’s age being above the age range United are targeting in the new Ratcliffe-led era.

The Red Devils are primarily seeking to sign players in their early-mid 20s, as evidenced by the higher profile targets they’re currently pursuing.

Indeed, Jarrad Branthwaite (21), Matthijs De Ligt (24), Manuel Ugarte (23) and Joshua Zirkzee (23) are all far younger than Reguilon (27).

A Tottenham transfer has fallen through and a top source has outlined what happens next, though a second Spurs deal has advanced after a fresh round of club-to-club contacts were made.

Exits could prove to be just as important as arrivals when shaping Tottenham’s squad for the season ahead.

Despite having European football on offer next term, Spurs are aiming to trim the fat of their squad and remove the deadwood.

Plenty of first-team stars have left via free agency including Ryan Sessegnon, Ivan Perisic, Eric Dier and Japhet Tanganga.

Tottenham also mutually agreed to terminate Tanguy Ndombele’s contract despite the Frenchman having one year remaining on his deal.

To boost Ange Postecoglou’s spending power in the market, offers are being sought for the likes of Djed Spence, Emerson Royal, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Giovani Lo Celso, to name just four.

One player Spurs have successfully offloaded is Joe Rodon who’s signed for Leeds United in a permanent deal worth £10m.

Exits for fellow defenders Spence and Emerson are expected, with the former heavily linked with re-joining the club he spent the last six months of last season loaned to – Genoa.

Indeed, Spence has okayed returning to the Serie A side, though Genoa were attempting to negotiate a fee below their £8.5m/€10m option to buy.

Prior reports claimed Genoa were seeking a loan with an obligation to buy worth just £7m. Such a deal would have netted Spurs a sizeable loss given Spence cost £20m to sign from Middlesbrough.

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Djed Spence transfer to Genoa collapses

Extensive talks over the fee had taken place since last season finished. But according to BBC reporter Nizaar Kinsella, the deal is now off.

The issue of the transfer fee was cited as the primary reason why, with Kinsella insisting the move has now collapsed.

Genoa could yet revive a move later in the window, though only if Tottenham lower their demands.

As such, and for the time being, Tottenham now plan to offer Spence around to other clubs and alternative solutions are now being sought.

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Fresh contacts for Emerson Royal sale

Elsewhere, there’s better news from Tottenham’s perspective regarding the sale of Emerson to AC Milan.

The Brazilian is surplus to requirements following Pedro Porro’s arrival and the 25-year-old has given the greenlight to signing for Milan.

Personal terms aren’t expected to be an issue, though there’s still work to be done on the transfer fee.

Tottenham are hopeful of generating €25m/£21m for Emerson. As yet, Milan are unwilling to pay that amount.

However, a fresh update from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has offered new hope a deal will ultimately be struck.

Taking to X, Romano revealed a new round of direct talks between the clubs have taken place. A compromise hasn’t yet been reached, though the clubs clearly have a willingness to get a deal done.

“New direct contact took place for Emerson Royal’s potential move to AC Milan,” stated Romano.

“Emerson gave green light in May and he wants the move, while there’s still a gap between clubs.

“Tottenham want around €25m to let Emerson leave. Talks to continue, nothing agreed yet.”

Tottenham could follow up the impressive capture of teenage midfielder Archie Gray with the addition of another superb young talent, sources have told TEAMtalk.

Confirmation of Gray’s signing finally arrived on Tuesday morning after a couple of days of negotiating, as Spurs beat out competition from Brentford to sign the highly-rated Leeds youngster.

The 18-year-old has signed a six-year deal at Tottenham through to summer 2030, and will earn a contract worth £75,000 a week.

He will inherit the No.14 shirt in north London, most recently worn by Ivan Perisic, but also previously held, ironically, by Joe Rodon, who heads to Elland Road on a permanent transfer after his successful loan stint there last season.

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TEAMtalk can confirm that Leeds do not have a sell-on clause attached to the deal, nor did they try and negotiate a season’s loan return for the teenager – meaning he will report for pre-season training at his new club in the coming week.

Gray is Tottenham‘s second signing of the window so far after the loan return of Timo Werner, but there are expected to be more to follow as TT understands that the club will fully back Ange Postecoglou in the summer window.

And the next addition could be another brilliant young talent, as Spurs weigh up a move for Rennes midfielder Desire Doue.

The 19-year-old, who has also been linked with Manchester United, is widely considered to be one of the most talented prospects in European football – having made his senior breakthrough for Rennes in 2022.

Doue has since gone to play 57 Ligue 1 games for the club, scoring seven times and is talented enough to be able to play in multiple midfield positions, as well as out wide.

The teenage talent notched up four goals and six assists in 43 appearances in all competitions last season as Rennes finished 10th in the table, while six of those outings came in the Europa League.

Tottenham already in contact over Doue deal

Our very own transfer insider, Fraser Fletcher, informs TT that Tottenham have made contact with the agents of Doue and that although Transfermarkt currently has the player valued at £27million, Rennes will push for more like £50m.

There is clearly a Premier League premium tacked on when it comes to that sort of price tag for a player who has just completed his first full season of senior football.

It remains to be seen whether Daniel Levy is willing to fork out that amount for a player with clear potential, given that he has just brought the likes of Gray and Lucas Bergvall on board.

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Indeed, landing a new striker and another central defender remains high on the list of Postecoglou’s priorities this summer as Tottenham look to at least one better than their fifth-placed finish last season and get back in the Champions League.

However, if a player of Doue’s unquestionable ability officially becomes available then it remains important that the club still has one eye on the future.

Ipswich Town are leading several Premier League rivals including Everton and West Ham United in the race for highly rated Hull City star Jacob Greaves, TEAMtalk can exclusively reveal.

Ipswich are busy preparing for their first Premier League campaign since 2002 after incredibly achieving back-to-back promotions under Kieran McKenna. The Tractor Boys know it will be very tough to stay in the top flight due to the vast sums of money involved but have already bolstered McKenna’s squad with two big signings.z

Ipswich have broken their transfer record by spending £18million to re-sign winger Omari Hutchinson from Chelsea, following his brilliant loan spell at Portman Road last term. And the transfer could reach £22m depending on add-ons, too.

Ipswich have followed up on that deal by landing Ben Johnson on a free transfer following the expiry of his West Ham contract. Johnson, who can operate as a full-back on either side of defence, has penned a four-year deal with the Suffolk-based club.

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Ipswich will not stop there though, and sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that Hull star Greaves is a player firmly on their radar.

The defender enjoyed an outstanding campaign for Hull last season and was rewarded for his form by being named in the Championship Team of the Season.

A number of Premier League clubs, including Everton and West Ham, hold interest in Greaves, but now sources state that Ipswich are aiming to steal a march on their rivals by firming up their interest in the powerful centre-back.

Ipswich are in the market for a new centre-half in this summer’s transfer window and Greaves fits the criteria for the type of player the club are targeting.

Transfer news: Ipswich want Greaves after Rodon miss

Ipswich initially targeted Wales international Joe Rodon of Tottenham Hotspur to improve their backline, but he has re-joined Leeds United on a permanent basis following a successful season on loan at Elland Road last term. This has seen Ipswich turn their attention to Greaves, who has previously been valued at around the £13m mark.

Hull are aware of the growing interest in the 23-year-old and know they could face a battle to keep hold of him while the window remains open.

Since graduating from Hull’s academy system in the summer of 2020, Greaves has made over 175 appearances for the club and chipped in with six goals and eight assists in that time.

A surprise Tottenham raid on Real Madrid has been met with a swift double rejection, though Spurs plan to accelerate plans to sign a superior player who’ll break their transfer record anyway, according to reports.

Spurs’ transfer window has exploded into life over the last 24 hours. Tottenham have struck an agreement to sign Leeds United ace, Archie Gray. The 18-year-old has already passed a medical after agreeing personal terms with Tottenham.

Spurs will send Joe Rodon back to Elland Road in a permanent transfer, though that move is being treated as a separate deal. According to Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham will pay £40m to sign Gray and receive £10m from selling Rodon.

Gray can play at right-back or in central midfield. Given the presence of Pedro Porro, it’s expected Gray will feature mostly in midfield.

The Gray signing could wrap up Spurs’ midfield plans and put to rest their long-standing ambitions of signing Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher.

Attention at Spurs will now shift to signing a centre-back, a creative attacker and a striker.

Tottenham fail to sign Real Madrid playmaker

Regarding the creative attacker addition, reports in France state Tottenham made a surprise approach for Real Madrid playmaker, Brahim Diaz.

The 24-year-old rose previously to prominence during a successful three-year loan spell with AC Milan.

Diaz was finally integrated into Real Madrid’s first team last season and did not disappoint when scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists from 44 appearances.

However, with the imminent arrivals of Kylian Mbappe and Brazilian wonderkid Endrick soon to bolster Carlo Ancelotti’s attacking options, Tottenham sensed an opportunity to strike for Diaz.

But according to the report, not only did Real Madrid reject Tottenham’s approach for Diaz, but the €40m-rated attacker also said no to Spurs too.

With that avenue firmly closed, Tottenham are primed to put all their eggs in the Eberechi Eze basket.

Spurs to accelerate record-breaking transfer

The Crystal Palace and England ace can be signed via a release clause understood to be worth £60m.

A transfer of that size would make Eze Tottenham’s most expensive ever buy. Richarlison also cost £60m when bought from Everton, though his deal comprised £50m with the remaining £10m made up of future add-ons.

Eze bagged 15 goal contributions in 27 Premier League matches for Palace last term and counts Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd among his admirers.

But according to the Times, it’s Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham who front the queue and the north London club are prepared to ramp up their pursuit.

Spurs will not hesitate to pay full price by activating the clause and intend to ramp up their chase once Eze’s campaign with England at Euro 2024 concludes.

Given England only just scraped past Slovakia on Sunday, few would bet against their campaign ending at the hands of Switzerland next Saturday.

Tottenham are by no means the only high profile club showing interest in Eze. However, TEAMtalk has learned of two reasons why Spurs are confident they’ll win the race.

Firstly, chairman Daniel Levy holds excellent relations with the CAA Stellar agency who represent Eze.

Secondly, talks between Tottenham and Eze’s camp have already taken place and further rounds of discussions were held over the past few weeks.

Where will Postecoglou play Eze?

In the event Tottenham do sign Eze, all eyes will be on where the electric attacker features for Ange Postecoglou.

He could play as a number eight in a midfield three, with Eze and James Maddison flanking Gray. However, that would leave the 18-year-old with a lot of defensive work to do.

Eze can also operate on the left wing, though that position might not be up for grabs next season.

If Spurs succeed in signing a new starting striker, captain Son Heung-min will revert to his customary left wing role.

As such, Postecoglou may face a dilemma when attempting to piece together his starting line-up, though having too many high quality options will always be preferable to not having enough.

Tottenham will trigger a one-year option to tie their best player’s future to the club until 2026, though one report has suggested a crippling sale could now be on the agenda for 2025.

Tottenham are on the cusp of completing their first major signing of the summer following news of an agreement in principle to sign Leeds United ace, Archie Gray.

Spurs will pay £40m to sign the versatile 18-year-old. Centre-back Joe Rodon will move the other way on a permanent basis following a hugely successful loan spell last season. Rodon’s £10m transfer will be treated as a totally separate deal.

The Gray coup is a huge one for Spurs, not least because it had looked like he was on course to join Brentford just 24 hours prior.

Gray can operate at right-back or in central midfield and given the presence of Pedro Porro, it’s anticipated he’ll feature in midfield.

The move will greatly boost Tottenham’s top four hopes as well as their ambitions of lifting a major trophy. Key to those aspirations will also be Tottenham’s best player and captain – Son Heung min.

The South Korean superstar returned to form last season when bagging 17 Premier League goals. Son will turn 32 next week, though has shown no signs of slowing down just yet.

The electric forward is under contract for one more year and had been installed as a key target for the Saudi Pro League.

Prior reports claimed Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy had signalled his intention to reject any and all offers Spurs receive for Son this summer.

Tottenham have held talks with Son over the signing of a lengthy contract extension. However, those talks haven’t yet yielded a breakthrough and Spurs now intend to activate their plan B.

Tottenham to trigger Son option

According to Football Insider, Tottenham will trigger their one-eyar option in Son’s contract. Once done, Son will be tied to Spurs until 2026.

Activating the option will slightly improve Tottenham’s bargaining position in their discussions over a longer-term deal with Son.

However, FI also floated the possibility that Son could now be in line to be sold in 2025.

Son will be on the cusp of turning 33 this time next year and although he remains an elite-level performer, a long-term deal may not be the wisest option for a player of that age.

The chance to generate a sizeable fee by selling to a Saudi Arabian side could appeal. Son himself may also be more willing to embark on a late-career payday in the middle east given he’ll be another year closer to retirement.

Of course, the possibility of Son penning a long-term extension is also in play and if the South Korean maintains his sky high standards, that is the outcome every Spurs fan will want.

Tottenham have secured the signing of Leeds United wonderkid Archie Gray and an unwanted Spurs star is set to go the other way, per Fabrizio Romano.

Gray, 18, is widely considered to be one of the most exciting young talents in English football and his departure represents a major blow for the Whites.

Several clubs were linked with Gray including Brentford, who reportedly came close to tying up a £35m deal with Leeds.

However, Gray’s move to Tottenham has just been given the ‘here we go’ seal of approval by Romano, which will no doubt have Spurs fans excited.

“Archie Gray to Tottenham, here we go! Agreement in principle between all parties involved, waiting to sign docs,” Romano posted on X.

“Spurs are set to pay fee around £40m, long term deal for Gray who’s accepted deal to join Tottenham.”

Interestingly, Romano adds that Leeds are set to sign Spurs centre-back Joe Rodon in a ‘separate transaction’ for around £10m, which is one positive for Daniel Farke and his team.

Tottenham were previously asking for £15m for the defender so £10m represents a good bargain.

Rodon played a key role in Leeds’ 2023/24 campaign that saw them narrowly miss out on promotion and he’ll hope to get the job done in the coming campaign.

Archie Gray to have Tottenham medical imminently

TEAMtalk sources say Gray will undertake his medical imminently and it’s expected that his move to Tottenham will be officially completed by the end of today (Monday).

Gray, who grew up as a Leeds supporter, was not actively looking to leave Elland Road this summer but the Whites’ board took the difficult decision to part ways with him in order to fund their own summer transfers.

Rodon will be the first of several new additions for Farke’s side as the manager aims to secure promotion at the second time of asking.

As for Tottenham, they have a fantastic young player on their hands in Gray and many expect him to become an England regular in the coming years.

A versatile player, Gray’s natural position is in centre-midfield but he also featured as a right-back last term, so will provide cover in several areas.

Spurs could therefore kill two birds with one stone by signing Gray, as he could be a replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Emerson Royal, who have both been heavily linked with exits.

If Gray’s career continues on its current trajectory, you’d expect him to be worth far more than the £40m Tottenham have paid for him in a few years.

Leeds and Tottenham are still to confirm the transfer of Archie Gray to north London in a proposed £40m deal – but the teenage star is already being backed to use the move to Spurs as a platform towards a future switch to Real Madrid.

The Whites were forced to negotiate the sale of Gray to avoid a potential points penalty for failing to comply with strict Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) with the situation exasperated by the failure by Leeds to secure promotion back to the Premier League last season. And with Gray seen as the best talent to emerge through the Elland Road ranks in a generation, strong interest in him has emerged from a plethora of big-spending clubs.

And while the likes of Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool and Manchester City have all been on the 18-year-old’s trail, news broke on Saturday afternoon that it was Brentford who had entered talks with Leeds over a would-be deal for the Championship’s Young Player of the Year.

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The Bees were willing to pay an initial £35m, rising to £40m for Gray, whose imminent sale caused outrage among the West Yorkshire club’s fanbase, still reeling from their play-off final defeat just five weeks ago.

However, with Brentford’s rejected, it was Tottenham who quickly moved into pole position for his signing, with TEAMtalk understanding that, if he were to leave Elland Road, then a move to north London was seen as more preferrable.

And with Gray travelling across London for a medical and talks with Spurs on Sunday, confirmation over the deal is still waiting with the clock passing midnight over the June 30, PSR deadline.

Archie Gray latest: Confirmation of Tottenham transfer awaits

While personal terms are not thought to be an issue, Leeds’ interest in signing Tottenham’s Oliver Skipp and Joe Rodon is, and it is that side of the negotiations that is understood to have delayed the potential deal from being announced.

Quite how that would affect Leeds’ bid to avoid a points penalty from PSR remains to be seen and there is clearly still a lot of twists and turns around both Gray’s transfer and the Whites’ financial state still to be determined.

And ultimately, while the deals for Rodon and Skipp could still be done from a Leeds point of view albeit later in the summer, they are likely to be done so independently of the deal for Gray.

In the meantime, former Tottenham winger Chris Waddle believes Gray will use a move to Tottenham as a springboard for a future move to Real Madrid, much in the same way as Gareth Bale and Luka Modric did so in the recent past.

“I’ve seen enough of Archie Gray to say that he is a very good player,” Waddle told Genting. “He’s a versatile player that can perform in a number of roles: midfield, full-back. That tells you two things about him: his manager trusts him to perform in numerous roles and he has the intelligence to do it.

“That’s rare for a player of 18-years-old. He was ever-present in that Leeds United team last season, so again, that’s a good sign. His best role is in central midfield, and I think that’s where he prefers to play.”

Gray tipped to use Spurs move to become future Real Madrid star

An impressed Waddle has branded Gray an ‘ideal Tottenham project’ and believes he will thrive under the management of Ange Postecoglou should the move to play under the Aussie be finalised.

Waddle also believes Gray will take his game on to the next level in N17 and use the move as a platform to a blockbuster switch to the Bernabeu, much in the same way Bale and Modric did.

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“He’s an ideal Tottenham project. Tottenham have a history of buying young players and giving them an opportunity.

“We’ve seen Tottenham make some very canny moves in the transfer market over the years with younger players. They can obviously see the potential that’s there, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Gray followed the likes of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric by joining Real Madrid for a massive fee if he lives up to his potential.

“Tottenham can obviously see his potential. He was probably the pick of the Championship players in terms of his age and ability. I think he could easily step up to the level of the Premier League.

“Whether he gets straight into the Tottenham team is a different question. I’m sure they will have a precise development plan for him which could see him join another Premier League club on loan. He’d be a good signing for Tottenham Hotspur because he’s only going to get better.”

Arsenal have reportedly made the first move in the race for Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, who’s been linked with Tottenham in recent days.

The 22-year-old defender featured in Italy’s three Euro 2024 group-stage matches but missed their 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in the Round of 16 due to suspension.

Calafiori’s performances in the tournament have caught the attention of clubs across Europe and a move away from Bologna looks to be on the cards.

As we reported on Wednesday, Arsenal and Tottenham are seriously interested in the talented centre-back, but Juventus are also keen.

Juventus’ manager Thiago Motta recently left Bologna and he is very keen on an instant reunion with Calafiori at the Allianz Stadium.

He struggled with injuries early in his career but has been fantastic since joining Bologna last summer, making 33 appearances in 2023/24 and scoring two goals.

The youngster was a key reason why Bologna qualified for the Champions League and he is thought to be ready to take the next big step in his career.

Arsenal ‘schedule meeting’

According to trusted transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are ‘set to schedule an initial meeting’ to gain an understanding of Calafiori’s situation.

Bologna are keen to keep hold of the Italian international but will reluctantly part ways with him for a fee in the region of £34-38m (€40-45m).

“For Calafiori, Arsenal made an enquiry to understand the situation of the player,” Calafiori told GIVEMESPORT.

“I mean, it’s also normal when you are looking for a left-footed player, a left-foot defender. Riccardo Calafiori is one of the best available now on the market.

“So Arsenal have been showing their interest in the situation. But at the moment, it’s not a negotiation. There is no bid, there is no contact with Bologna, so it’s just an enquiry to understand the situation of Calafiori.”

However, Calafiori isn’t the only centre-back on Arsenal’s radar. As previously reported by TEAMtalk, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi is also admired by the Gunners.

They are also looking into a potential deal for exit-linked Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, per reports.

Arteta is happy with his current centre-back partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes but wants more competition for the duo in case one of them gets injured.

Calafiori has the potential to be a smart long-term addition for Arsenal but it remains to be seen whether they’re willing to match his price tag.