Arsenal preparing for Real Madrid to step up interest in 24yo

Arsenal are preparing for Real Madrid to step up their interest in Riccardo Calafiori this summer, according to a report.

Gary Jacob reports for The Times that Arsenal are preparing for Real Madrid stepping up interest in Riccardo Calafiori this summer.

Jacob adds that Arsenal have tracked fellow left-back Nathaniel Brown of Eintracht Frankfurt, possibly as an alternative option if Calafiori leaves, but Brown is now expected to join Bayern Munich.

If Arsenal don’t have a good replacement option, it would be very surprising to see the club letting Calafiori go, particularly as he seemed to add so much to Mikel Arteta’s team when available in 2025/26.

Fabrizio Romano reported last week that Real Madrid have made direct contact with Calafiori’s camp, explaining that a few weeks ago the Spanish club spoke with those close to the player.

Real Madrid were only making enquiries at the time, and Romano stresses that Calafiori remains a very important player for Arsenal, that he’s an important part of their project, and that it wouldn’t be an easy deal to do.

But the La Liga club are certainly looking for a player in Calafiori’s mould, as they need cover at both centre-back and left-back.

There hasn’t been much in the way of an update since then, but Jacob’s report suggests Arsenal are still expecting Real Madrid to firm up their interest at some stage in the coming months.

Calafiori still has another three years on his contract and he’s only a couple of years into his spell with the club. There should be no real desire on Arsenal’s part to sell so soon.

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