Real Madrid have initiated contact with representatives of Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano. The move comes as the Spanish club undergoes a period of internal restructuring with an ad-hoc election taking place between current president Florentino Perez and challenger Enrique Riquelme.
Perez, aiming to demonstrate continued support from club members, has outlined more realistic transfer plans compared to Riquelme’s ambitious targets, which include Erling Haaland and have already drawn legal threats from Manchester City regarding image rights. Jose Mourinho has already been confirmed as the next Real Madrid head coach, with Ibrahima Konate and Denzel Dumfries already secured as new signings.
Romano reports that Real Madrid are seeking reinforcements in both centre-back and left-back positions, with Ferland Mendy’s recent injury history prompting the search for a versatile player. Calafiori, who can play both centre-back and left-back, has emerged as an interesting option, though Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol remains on their radar but is considered a difficult target.
“Real Madrid made contact with people close to Calafiori a few weeks ago to gather information about the Italian defender,” Romano stated. “Calafiori remains a very important player for Arsenal, making any potential deal far from straightforward. Arsenal consider him an important part of their long-term project.”
Separately, a settlement is expected soon in a legal dispute between AS Roma and FC Basel concerning funds owed to the Italian club following Calafiori’s transfer to Arsenal in 2024. Calafiori progressed through Roma’s youth system, overcoming a serious injury to make his senior debut before ultimately departing for Basel in 2022. The dispute centers around a 40% sell-on clause Roma included in the deal with Basel, and their claim to a portion of the fee Basel received from Arsenal. Gazzetta dello Sport reports a likely settlement of around €6m is anticipated, resolving the matter at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
