Riccardo Calafiori, a great player for Bologna who has drawn the attention of Italy for Euro 2024, is wanted by several Premier League clubs, including Liverpool.
Calafiori’s name gained widespread recognition on Saturday after his nation’s 2-1 victory over Albania to open Group B of the Euros.
However, Liverpool was already keeping an eye on the 22-year-old after his stellar debut season with Bologna, where he made 37 appearances across all competitions after joining from Basel.
That’s according to a report published on Tuesday by James Horncastle of The Athletic, a source that is especially trustworthy when it comes to Italian football.
According to Horncastle, inquiries about Calafiori’s availability came from Liverpool, Newcastle, Brighton, and West Ham before to the Euros, indicating that interest in him was “already high.”
Although it’s interestingly stated that Juventus, whose new manager Thiago Motta arrived from Bologna this summer, is “in pole position for his signing,” his club’s No. 33 is something they “wish to keep.”
Although a price is not stated, any agreement for Calafiori would probably be expensive, especially as Basel will be responsible for between 40 and 50 percent of the total cost.
He is referred to by Horncastle as a “hybrid center-back,” having been transformed at Bologna by Motta from an attacking left-back.
Despite this, Calafiori made six appearances at left back in the previous campaign. However, he has since transitioned into a more advanced, ball-playing center-back role.
Who will be Van Dijk’s next partner, or himself?
Liverpool, who seem to be looking for a left-sided center-back to fit with Arne Slot’s preferred formation or a long-term replacement for Virgil van Dijk, will undoubtedly be interested in that.
When Slot was at Feyenoord, he would usually build-up by having his left back join his two starting center-backs as a three-man unit and his right back invert into midfield.
It is simple to envision how that might play out, with Van Dijk, Jarell Quansah, or Ibrahima Konate joining Calafiori as the new left-side player and Trent Alexander-Arnold continuing in his hybrid right-back role.
Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace, who might fill a similar position, has also been linked to Liverpool, and Chelsea’s Levi Colwill has long attracted attention.
Furthermore, it appears like any additional move would be separately given Lille’s pursuit of Leny Yoro, a natural right-sider who was characterized by David Ornstein of The Athletic as a “unique market opportunity rather than a fundamental part of their recruitment plans.”
Calafiori is perhaps not the best option right now, but rather it should be on a shortlist of potential targets.
However, Anfield’s claims of interest are definitely plausible, given that the Italian looks well-suited for the position that appears to be opening up in the club.