Arsenal and Chelsea have joined the race for Bologna key player

Arsenal and Chelsea have entered the race for Bologna's star player, Riccardo Calafiori, reports Fabrizio Romano.

Both clubs have explored the terms of a deal, which is expected to be costly. In addition to the fee to be paid to his current club, Swiss side Basel will receive nearly 50% of the transfer fee from the sale of the defender. Therefore, Bologna is unlikely to let go of their leading player cheaply.

It is noted that Calafiori had previously agreed to a move to Juventus, but Bologna prefers to sell him abroad.

The 22-year-old defender returned to Italy from Basel last summer for just €4 million. His current transfer value is estimated at €30 million. Calafiori is a product of Roma's football academy and a native of Italy's capital.

In June, the towering defender made his debut for the Italian national team and went on to play three matches for the Azzurri at Euro 2024.