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As reported by FootballTransfers on Thursday, June 4, 2026, the summer restructuring of Real Madrid is gaining traction, and Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori has surfaced as the most recent player on their ambitious radar.
Transfer analyst Fabrizio Romano has disclosed that the Spanish club has already begun discussions with representatives of the Italian player, continuing their hunt for defensive options.
This interest emerges during a politically sensitive time at the Santiago Bernabéu, where club president Florentino Perez is unexpectedly challenged by Enrique Riquelme in a special election for president.
Both candidates have made notable promises to attract support from members, although Riquelme’s commitment to signing Erling Haaland has stirred up controversy, with Manchester City allegedly considering legal action regarding the improper use of the striker’s image rights.
In contrast, Perez seems to be adopting a more feasible approach to transfers.
Reports indicate that Jose Mourinho has reached an agreement to take over as the club’s next coach, and Ibrahima Konate along with Denzel Dumfries are likely to enhance the team.
Nevertheless, Madrid’s restructuring remains incomplete.
Romano states that the club is still actively pursuing defensive players who can provide tactical versatility.
“Real Madrid has not concluded its efforts to improve their defense.
They are concentrating on both centre-back and left-back positions,” Romano stated.
“At left-back, Real Madrid has Alvaro Carreras, while Ferland Mendy is currently sidelined due to injury issues he has faced in recent years.
The club aims to find a player who can play both as a centre-back and as a left-back.
“Riccardo Calafiori meets that requirement and is seen as an appealing choice. There have also been discussions about Josko Gvardiol.
He is valued by many clubs, but he is currently a challenging target because Manchester City regards him as an essential player.
“What I can share is that Real Madrid reached out to people associated with Calafiori weeks ago to collect details on the Italian defender.
Calafiori is a key player for Arsenal, making any potential agreement quite complicated.
“Arsenal views him as a vital part of their long-term plans.”
Despite Madrid’s interest, it is understood that Arsenal does not plan to let go of the 24-year-old, who has quickly established himself as a vital component of Mikel Arteta’s strategy since arriving from Bologna.
Outside of the transfer discussions, Calafiori is also involved in a prolonged financial dispute concerning his former clubs, AS Roma and FC Basel.
The defender, who came through Roma’s youth academy, transferred to Basel in 2022 for €2.5 million plus a 40 percent sell-on clause after his path to the first team was blocked.
Basel later sold him to Bologna, which triggered a considerable payout for the Italian club, before the Swiss side included another 50 percent sell-on clause in the following transfer.
When Arsenal acquired Calafiori for a starting fee of €45 million, along with an additional €5 million in possible bonuses, Roma claimed that the initial deal gave them the right to receive a portion of Basel’s earnings from that deal as well.
The Serie A team has allegedly demanded around €9.1 million, asserting that the clause applied to all future transfers involving the player.
Basel, on the other hand, challenged that understanding, resulting in legal action at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
As per reports from Italy, the legal situation is now close to being resolved, with both sides anticipated to come to a compromise agreement of about €6 million.
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