Imminent Arsenal signing likely to mean three defenders could leave

The imminent signing of Riccardo Calafiori for Arsenal is reportedly likely to mean defenders could be sold by the Gunners.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior and Kieran Tierney would likely come to mind as three probable casualties of the Calafiori deal, and they are indeed the three mentioned in the latest report from The Athletic.

The piece states that Tierney is considered highly likely to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer, while Arsenal could also listen to offers for Zinchenko and Kiwior, so it will be interesting to see if anyone comes in with the kind of money that could convince the Gunners to cash in on them.

Calafiori would be an exciting signing for Arsenal after he showed immense potential in Serie A last season, as well as with Italy at Euro 2024, despite their relatively early exit from the tournament.

Calafiori transfer shows how high standards at Arsenal have got

The signing of Calafiori would truly be a statement by Mikel Arteta, who has done great work to lift the standards at Arsenal since taking over as manager five years ago.

Many top clubs will have been fairly happy with how Zinchenko and Kiwior have played in the last couple of years, but AFC are still keen to get the little details just right as they face such a formidable foe in the form of Manchester City.

Neither Zinchenko nor Kiwior have done a lot wrong in their Arsenal careers, but Calafiori looks like an upgrade and possibly like a better tactical fit for what Arteta is trying to do, so it probably is for the best that the 22-year-old’s arrival means the others could leave.

Still, many Arsenal fans might also be questioning why this signing is a priority over a new attacking player, with some doubts remaining over the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli after they both suffered dips in form last season.