Arsenal have added a new signing to Mikel Arteta’s squad having finally secured a deal to bring in Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori this week.

The Gunners have been desperate to add new faces ahead of another Premier League title push.

Usurping Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table will not be easy and Arsenal have struck two important deals.

David Raya has signed permanently after enjoying a strong season on loan from Brentford.

Arsenal have now followed that up this week, completing the signing of Riccardo Calafiori.

The Italian defender has been linked with Arsenal for weeks now but the deal is finally done, leaving Calafiori delighted.

Lorenzo Amoruso on Riccardo Calafiori

Arsenal haven’t exactly boasted many Italian players over the years.

Few will be rushing to talk about the likes of Emiliano Viviano, Vito Mannone and Arturo Lupoli.

Jorginho has received interest but remains a part of the Arsenal squad and Calafiori will surely be delighted to feature alongside him in North London.

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Italians in the Premier League tend to have a mixed record with Gianluca Scamacca, Mario Balotelli, Alberto Aquilani, Moise Kean and Dani Osvaldo among those to struggle.

Calafiori will be hoping to shine and has now been assessed by an Italian defender who briefly featured in the Premier League.

Lorenzo Amoruso may not be quite as revered in England as he is in Scotland, but he represented the mould of the tough, aggressive, uncompromising centre back in the 1990’s and 2000’s

Amoruso was a teammate of Mikel Arteta at Rangers before signing for Blackburn Rovers in 20203.

Amoruso has now been quoted by Derby Derby Derby in Italy as saying that he thinks Calafiori will be facing a ‘different story’ at Arsenal.

The Italian feels that Calafiori had ‘little pressure’ at Bologna but must now deal with much higher expecteation levels at Arsenal – especially as they chase the title.

Amoruso added that Calafiori ‘has the qualities’ to become a success in the Premier League, even if he faces a real adjustment period.

“At Bologna he had little pressure, except perhaps in the very last part of the season,” said Amoruso. “At Arsenal it will be a different story, also because one of the Gunners’ biggest weaknesses is their defence, which has conceded too much in recent years. Furthermore, the team has been very close to the Premier League finish line for several seasons but then hasn’t managed to win. Calafiori still has the qualities to do well,” he added.

We would disagree with the notion that Arsenal have conceded too many goals.

That ‘soft centre’ tag may have been applicable to Arsenal in years gone by, but it certainly isn’t the case now.

Arteta has now turned Arsenal into a defensive machine, conceding just 29 goals in 38 Premier League games last season.

Arsenal have invested in a number of defensive signings under Arteta and that approach has paid off, with Calafiori now next to enter this Gunners back line.

Amoruso on Mikel Arteta

Amoruso was also asked for his verdict on Arsenal boss Arteta.

Whilst Amoruso joined Rangers in 1997, Arteta only came in five years later.

Amoruso claims to have rally helped Arteta settle in Rangers, believing that the Spaniard would have found it difficult to settle in.

Arteta was only 20 when he signed for Rangers and Amoruso wanted to help him adjust to life at Ibrox.

Amoruso added that it was difficult to predict a managerial career for Arteta at that time, even if he had the personality for such a rise.

“I took him under my arm and helped him settle in: he came from a completely different background and it wasn’t easy to fit in. He was still young and honestly it wasn’t easy to imagine at that time that he would become such an important coach, even if he didn’t lack charisma,” said Amoruso.

The pair went their separate ways but Amoruso has clearly kept tabs on Arteta – and will be fascinated to see how compatriot Calafiori fared under the Arsenal boss.

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