Arsenal star Riccardo Calafiori has revealed the unusual messages that Mikel Arteta sent him last summer in order to convince him to join the Gunners.
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Article continues below
Article continues below
- Calafiori reveals talks with Arteta before joining
- Enticed the Italian to make the switch to Arsenal
- Currently playing massive part in Arteta's plans
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Calafiori joined Arsenal in the summer of 2024 from Bollogna for a reported fee of £42 million ($45.6m) after a number of discussions over the move between all three parties. The Italian defender has now revealed Arteta's unusual ways to try to convince him to join the Gunners.
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WHAT CALAFIORI SAID
Speaking to Undici, Calafiori said: "I was immediately impressed by how much he cared about getting to know me. One day on the phone he sent me some photos of my family and asked me to say what each member of the family meant to me.
"Nothing like this had ever happened to me before, I’m not saying that he convinced me with this alone but it certainly represented an important moment."
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Calafiori has since become a key player in Arsenal's defence this season, as the Gunners mounted yet another title challenge in the Premier League but look likely to fall short yet again. The Italian has made 17 appearances for the Gunners so far this season and is quickly becoming a solid defender to help them out in the future.
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WHAT NEXT FOR CALAFIORI?
The Italian defender is now with the Italy national team for their Nations League quarterfinal clashes against Germany. He will return to London on March 24 to prepare for the Gunners' Premier League clash against Fulham on April 2.
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