January 28th 2025.
Rio Ferdinand is baffled by Arsenal's decision to sign Riccardo Calafiori for a whopping £42 million last summer, especially since the young player has not been a regular starter for Mikel Arteta's team. The 22-year-old Italian, who can play both as a centre-back and left-back, joined the Gunners from Bologna in July and has since made 17 appearances for the club. However, he has only started two Premier League matches, against Brentford and Brighton earlier this month.
Calafiori recently made a significant contribution to Arsenal's victory over Wolves, coming off the bench in the second half and scoring the only goal of the game. This has caused many to question why he hasn't been given more playing time, especially considering his hefty price tag. The player has also struggled with injuries this season, including problems with his calf and knee, which have limited his time on the pitch.
Even Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand, has expressed his confusion over Arsenal's decision to sign Calafiori in the first place. During a recent episode of his YouTube channel, Ferdinand questioned what Arsenal's plans are for the upcoming January transfer window. He also pointed out that the team's focus seems to be on signing a striker, despite having already spent a significant amount of money on Calafiori.
Arteta, on the other hand, had nothing but praise for Calafiori following his recent heroics against Wolves. The Arsenal manager compared his winning goal to the one he scored against Manchester City, stating that the young player has a knack for creating magic moments on the pitch. Arteta also expressed his satisfaction with the fact that whoever comes off the bench, like Calafiori did against Wolves, has the experience and skill to make a positive impact on the game.
With the January transfer window fast approaching, it remains to be seen what Arsenal's plans are for strengthening their team. However, one thing is for sure, Calafiori's performance against Wolves has certainly given Arteta and Arsenal fans something to think about.
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