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The former Bologna defender revealed that he had no choice but to sign for Arsenal following a pitch by Jorginho
Arsenal's latest signing, Riccardo Calafiori, has revealed that his decision to join the Gunners was heavily influenced by his Italy teammate, Jorginho.
Despite only knowing each other for a short period, the veteran was able to convince Calafiori to join Arsenal when they shared a dressing room during Italy’s 2024 European Championships campaign.
Calafiori reveals Jorginho influence
According to Calafiori, Jorginho, who has been a fixture in the UK football scene after spells with Chelsea and Arsenal used his experiences with the Gunners to persuade him to abandon initial suitors Liverpooll.
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In his first interview as an Arsenal player, Calafiori expressed his appreciation for Jorginho's advice and encouragement, saying, "I just met Jorginho one month ago, but I can see that he's a really good guy.
"He said, 'Come, come, come! You will enjoy being here, the team is amazing, and the staff, everything is good.' You can see that already from the first minutes here."
Details of Calafiori’s move to Arsenal
Arsenal officially confirmed Calafiori's signing on Monday, as the latest addition to their backline which already includes stars like William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
The transfer, valued at just under €50 million (£42 million), includes around €5 million in bonuses and allowed Calafiori to sign a five-year contract, which will keep him at the club until the end of June 2029.
The 22-year-old former Bologna defender will don the no.33 shirt as he embarks on his Premier League journey, and he will be hoping that Italy teammate Jorginho’s words about Arsenal were true.
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