Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori has emerged this season as one of the best centre backs in Serie A.
The Italian has played a key role in Bologna’s fairytale season and has attracted the interest of Juventus and Tottenham in the process.
So what do we know about Calafiori?
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What club does Riccardo Calafiori play for?
Calafiori plays for Bologna in the Italian Serie A.
What position does Riccardo Calafiori play in?
Calafiori is a left-sided centre back, a position he was converted to this season from his natural left back role.
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How good is Riccardo Calafiori?
Riccardo Calafiori has been one of the best centre-backs in Serie A this season.
Deployed as the left centre-back in Thiago Motta’’s 4-2-3-1 system, Calafiori has been a key player for a Bologna team who miraculously qualifiedfor next season’s Champions League.
It is an incredible achievement for a provincial side who have not been in Europe (discounting the minor Intertoto Cup) this century.
A big reason for Bologna’s cinderella story has been their mean defence led by Calafiori that has conceded just 30 goals in 37 games. This makes Bologna the second best defence in Serie A.
Riccardo Calafiori.pic.twitter.com/RSci9Wnm7P
— 🌹 (@Otavioprop) May 20, 2024
Born in Rome, Calafiori grew up in the Roma youth system as a highly rated left back and graduated through the ranks before making his senior debut in 2020.
However, he failed to make the grade at Roma and was loaned first to Genoa before being sold to Basel in Switzerland in 2022.
Bologna brought him back to Italy last summer and that is where his career really took off under Thiago Motta.
Motta, who is now one of the most admired young managers in European football, converted Calafiori from his natural left back role into a left sided centre back.
Calafiori has been a revelation in the role.
A modern centre back, Calafiori has displayed all the qualities and attributes of a potentially top-class defender.
The 22-year-old presses and reads the game excellently. He is ranked second in Serie A for interceptions this season. An aggressive front-footed defender, only Torino’s Alessandro Buongiorno is averaging more a game.
Calafiori’s use of the ball is superb, also, as is the requirement of all modern defenders. He is renowned for bringing the ball out of defence and joining in the construction of the play in midfield and beyond.
He excels with his progressive ball carrying. He is in the 92nd percentile compared to centre backs in Serie A this season when it comes to successful take-ons. He is in the 85th percentile for progressive carries.
His pass success rate is above 90 per cent, despite a high volume of passes that sees him in the top 10 for passes attempted per game among defenders. He has five assists this season in Serie A and also two for the Italy under-21s.
He also has two goals, both against his potentially future club Juventus.
Italy national team coach Luciano Spalletti is a big fan of Calafiori’s potential and says that he is already “ready for the national team”.
He would have been called up for Italy’s recent international matches in the United States against Venezuela and Ecuador but Spalletti didn’t want to deprive the Under-21s of a key player for their Euro 2025 qualifiers.
Nevertheless, Calafiori is in the running for a potential call-up to Euro 2024 with Spalletti’s Italy, despite having not yet won a senior cap.
Whether he goes to Euro 2024 or not, a top career for Calafiori certainly looks on the cards.
What clubs are interested in Riccardo Calafiori?
Juventus and Tottenham are leading the chase for Calafiori.
According to multiple sources, Juve have made Calafiori their number one defensive target for the summer transfer market.
He is seen as a possible replacement for Gleison Bremer, who Juve could choose to cash in on as Man Utd are considering a bid for the Brazilian.
Tottenham are also interested in Calafiori, with Italian transfer chief Fabio Paratici known to be a big fan.
Paratici has already shopped heavily in Italy in recent seasons, bringing in the likes of Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Cristian Romero, Emiliano Viviano and Destiny Udogie.
With Juventus set to appoint Thiago Motta as their new coach this summer, that could give the Bianconeri the advantage in signing Calafiori.
Bologna value Calafiori at around €25 million. Basel have a 40 per cent sell-on clause his Bologna contract.
Calafiori’s contract at Bologna expires in June 2027.
How old is Riccardo Calafiori?
Bellanova is 22 years old. He was born on 19 May 2002.
