Saliba comments on Calafiori's first game with Arsenal and their new partnership.

Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal's newest signing, made his highly anticipated debut for the club on Sunday. And his teammate William Saliba is confident that Calafiori's arrival will have an immediate impact on the team's performance this season. The young Italian wasted no time in making his presence known, as he took to the field during Arsenal's final friendly match against Lyon.

The Gunners, who are set to kick off their Premier League campaign against Wolves this coming Saturday, displayed a dominant performance against Lyon, securing a comfortable 2-0 victory. Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes were both on the score sheet, showcasing their strong partnership at the back. And Calafiori, who joined the team in a multi-million pound deal from Bologna, made his debut in the 64th minute, initially playing as a left-back after replacing Oleksandr Zinchenko.

However, following the introduction of young talent Myles Lewis-Skelly, Calafiori shifted to a centre-half position, partnering with Saliba to secure a solid defense. Saliba was highly impressed with Calafiori's skills and talent, expressing his happiness for his new teammate. "Yeah, I'm so happy for him," he shared with Arsenal's official website. "I think it's only the beginning, he's a really good player, young as well. We're so happy to have him with us and I hope he'll have a really good season with us."

Even Arsenal's manager, Mikel Arteta, was in awe of Calafiori's debut performance. He praised the young player's versatility, as he can play in multiple positions and bring a unique attacking dynamic to the team. "He's a real defender," Arteta stated, highlighting Calafiori's impressive press, physicality, and ability to win duels. "And then obviously he's done a lot last year, he's a player that can improve us."

While the team has recently made David Raya's loan move permanent, Calafiori remains Arsenal's only new signing so far this season. However, they are still in the market for a new midfielder, with Real Sociedad's Mikel Merino reportedly their top target. With the new season underway, Arsenal fans can expect to see more exciting additions to the team in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more Arsenal news, exclusives, and analysis by signing up for our newsletter. Your privacy is important to us, and we will protect it according to our Privacy Policy. This site is also protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

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