Arsenal have several top defenders in their squad, but they are not satisfied and want more quality in that area, which has led to a reported interest in Borussia Dortmund left-back Daniel Svensson.
The Swede is regarded as one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga and is being monitored by several top teams, including AC Milan and Juventus. The Gunners are also interested in bringing him to the Emirates, despite already having several options available in his position.
The left back position is not an area where **** nal currently struggle, with Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapié both capable of playing there. Myles Lewis Skelly can also operate in the position, giving the Gunners several options within their squad.
However, **** nal have shown over the last few seasons that they are a team determined to improve constantly. The Gunners believe Svensson could bring new qualities to the position and potentially provide another option as they continue to strengthen their squad.
(Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

#arsenal #gunners #defenders

Martin Odegaard said ***** nal have proven they will always 'keep fighting' after a comeback win against Chelsea at the Emirates.
Arsenal fell behind inside two minutes when former transfer target Morgan Rogers volleyed Chelsea ahead, with the £117m signing striking low into the bottom corner after the Gunners failed to deal with a set piece.
The champions came back into the game and had a Riccardo Calafiori effort for an offside, but levelled when Kai Havertz drilled inside Emi Martinez's near post on 25 minutes.
An entertaining London Derby continued at a frantic pace, with Pedro Neto striking the woodwork for Chelsea before half-time.
Odegaard ultimately settled the game after a beautifully worked ***** nal goal five minutes after the restart. The Norwegian's call for Kai Havertz to leave Christos Tzolis' pass was granted, with Odegaard emphatically slamming in the winner for the champions.

#striking

Marco Palestra was noticeably once again absent from Chelsea's squad as they prepare to face off against London rivals ****** nal at the Emirates Stadium
Palestra was not present in the visitors' starting lineup, whilst Riccardo Calafiori starts at left-back for the hosts.
It follows comments from the Italian at the Gran Gala del Calcio last week, where Palestra spoke to Sky Sport, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.
Palestra was named in the Serie A team of the year for the 25/26 campaign, for his performances during a loan spell with Cagliari. He impressed greatly with the Sardinian side and parent club Atalanta faced interest from Inter and then Chelsea for the Italy international.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JULY 28: Marco Palestra of Chelsea FC heads the ball during the Sydney Super Cup match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Chelsea FC at Accor Stadium on July 28, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

#australia

Arsenal will welcome Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium this Sunday afternoon as they look to secure a good result at home in the Premier League. The Gunners managed to earn a narrow 1-0 win away at Aston Villa recently, which should keep them in good spirits going into this game.
Mikel Arteta will set his men up in a 4-2-3-1 formation and is expected to make a couple of changes to his first XI for this clash. Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa could both play from the start of this game.
David Raya will operate in between the sticks for the Gunners after keeping a clean sheet in his last outing. Ezri Konsa will play alongside Gabriel at the centre of Arteta's defence as they look to keep a good shape when defending inside his half.
Ben White will try to put in a good performance as the right-back, while Riccardo Calafiori hopes to prove his value on the other side as the left-back. Both of them will have to pick and choose their moments to join in on the attack.
Piero Hincapie will offer cover for the defensive positions on the bench.

#game #play

Mikel Arteta has hailed his ******* nal side after the Premier League champions secured a hard-fought win at Aston Villa.
Bukayo Saka's second-half goal secured a 1-0 win at Villa Park, as the England winger tapped home from Riccardo Calafiori's cross.
Saka's strike secured a second straight win for ******* nal, who avenged last season's loss at Villa Park. ******* nal conceded a devastating 95th-minute winner during last season's defeat at Aston Villa and Arteta admitted that feeling was on his mind pre-game.
"Well that was the state in my tummy and I spoke to the players about it. That image when the players were on the floor totally gutted," he said at hispost-match press conference.
"It was a really difficult one to take and we used that to bring energy, to bring more conviction and belief to understand the difficulty of the challenge that we had ahead, especially against a team that was so successful last year and then they lost a few days ago in a really big way. You expect a reaction and this stadium is a really difficult one, one for the big matches and they make those moments count.

#secured #park #players

Arsenal were never likely to have it as easy as they did in the 3-0 opening-day win over Coventry City, but they did more than enough to merit the three points here.
Shots and clear chances were at a premium - they only had two shots on target, which was two more than Villa.
Gabriel Magalhaes and Bukayo Saka had efforts off target in the first half.
They thought they were going to have a penalty when Saka was fouled by Ian Maatsen – but VAR made it a free-kick instead, which Martin Odegaard curled just wide.
The goal came when Eberechi Eze, a half-time substitute for the booked Christos Tzolis, fed Riccardo Calafiori and the left-back laid the ball on a plate for Saka to score for the third time at Villa Park in his Premier League career.

#target #half #gabriel

Arsenal travel to Villa Park on Monday looking to continue a perfect start to the season, having won the Community Shield and beaten Coventry City 3-0 in their Premier League opener without conceding.
Mikel Arteta's side could become the first in the club's 140-year history to win five consecutive opening away fixtures of a Premier League season.
Jurrien Timber remains out with a groin issue, and William Saliba is a long-term absentee with a back problem. Bruno Guimaraes has a minor groin issue of his own but Arteta has not ruled him out of contention. New signing Ezri Konsa, who joined this summer from Villa, is available to face his former club but is expected to start on the bench given ******* nal's settled defensive pairing.
David Raya is set to continue in goal behind a back four of Ben White, Gabriel Magalhães, Cristhian Mosquera and Riccardo Calafiori. Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard are expected to anchor midfield, with Martín Zubimendi the likely third member of the trio ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Bukayo Saka and Christos Tzolis, both of whom Arteta has used in wide areas that double as auxiliary full-back cover, are set to support Kai Havertz in attack, with both players having scored or contributed directly to goals in the win over Coventry.

#premier

John McGinn has revealed that Luke Shaw is one of the toughest opponents he's ever faced.
McGinn named Manchester United's No.23 alongside Riccardo Calafiori when being quizzed by the Stick to Football panel.
(Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
The Aston Villa captain said: "Calafiori and Luke Shaw would be my two hardest opponents.
"Luke Shaw because I needed to completely adapt my game with Luke Shaw. Because we're of a similar build. He's one I had to completely try and adapt [to]. Calafiori was much stronger than I thought. I was really impressed with him."

#completely #manchester #riccardo

Arsenal began the defence of their Premier League **** le in convincing fashion with a comfortable 3-0 victory over newly-promoted Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium.
Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka put the Gunners firmly in control during the opening 23 minutes before Martin Odegaard added a third shortly after the restart. It was an impressive opening-night performance from Mikel Arteta's side, with summer signing Christos Tzolis once again catching the eye.
Arsenal started brightly in front of a jubilant Emirates crowd and Tzolis was at the heart of much of their best attacking play.
The Greek international went close himself after cutting inside from the left before another effort was cleared off the line by Bobby Thomas.
The breakthrough arrived after 14 minutes, and Tzolis was again involved. He won possession from Milan van Ewijk before finding Riccardo Calafiori, whose pass reached Havertz. The German produced a composed first-time finish into the bottom corner to make it 1-0.

#minutes

Arsenal open their Premier League ***** le defence against Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium on Friday evening, just days after thrashing Manchester City in the Community Shield.
Mikel Arteta's side head into the new season as champions and heavy favourites against newly promoted opposition. The performance in Cardiff last weekend, capped by Calafiori's goal inside 26 seconds, gave an early indication of the intent Arteta wants to carry into the campaign proper.
William Saliba remains out long-term with a back injury, and Jurrien Timber is sidelined with a groin problem. Bruno Guimarães is a doubt for Friday after being substituted at half-time in the Community Shield with a thigh problem, later seen with an ice pack applied.
Arteta gave little away when asked about his fitness: "Let's see how he is. He's evolving really well, but let's see for tomorrow." Should he not be risked, Myles Lewis-Skelly is the likely replacement in midfield.
Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are both confirmed fit. The pair returned late from England's deep World Cup run and appeared as substitutes in the Community Shield win over Manchester City — both are now expected to start. Arteta has strongly implied, without confirming outright, that Ezri Konsa's move from Aston Villa is imminent, though the defender will not be involved against Coventry regardless.

#arsenal

Here is the latest team news, injury updates and predicted line-ups ahead of ****** nal's opening Premier League fixture of the new season.
Arsenal v Coventry team and injury news 6
Arsenal launch their Premier League ****** le defence against Coventry City at Emirates Stadium on Friday, with kick-off at 8pm BST, looking to build on their commanding 3-0 Community Shield victory over Manchester City.
Arteta remains without William Saliba, who is sidelined by a back injury, and Jurrien Timber, who continues his recovery from a groin problem.
As a result, Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori are expected to continue together across the back four after impressing in Cardiff.

#emirates

In a recent report, A Bola stated that Sunderland have to improve on their offer to land Sporting CP winger Geny Catamo. It has been mentioned that the Black Cats have to launch an offer close to the Mozambique wide player's £52m release clause to land him in this transfer window.
Catamo enjoyed a good run of form at the Portuguese club in the previous campaign when he put in a string of productive displays for them in the final third. The Mozambique international scored eight times and earned five ******* ists in 47 matches for Sporting last season across all fronts.
The 25-year-old is currently among the most talented wide players in Liga Portugal. Hence, the Black Cats would do well to get him on board this off-season.
His current contract at Sporting will expire in the summer of 2028, which could make it tough for Sunderland to sign him on a cut-price deal in this transfer period.
LISBON, PORTUGAL – APRIL 07: Geny Catamo of Sporting Clube de Portugal shoots while under pressure from Riccardo Calafiori of ******* nal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final First Leg match between Sporting Clube de Portugal and ******* nal FC at Estadio Jose Alvalade on April 07, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

#portugal #lisbon

Manchester City were left with plenty to reflect on after a damaging 3-0 defeat to ******* nal, a result shaped by goals from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard. According to Telegraph, the post-match message from both camps was clear, ******* nal look sharp and City know standards were missed.
Rúben Dias did not dress it up, admitting the City performance was "not good enough" after ******* nal capitalised in key moments and controlled the contest with authority. For supporters of Enzo Maresca's side, that line will land heavily because it matched what unfolded on the pitch, with ******* nal quicker to duels, cleaner in possession and more decisive in both boxes.
Arsenal's display was widely admired and Calafiori's own verdict summed up the confidence around Mikel Arteta's team, describing the victory as "close to perfection". That felt fair. ******* nal played with tempo, aggression and structure, producing the type of performance that suggests they are gearing up for another serious challenge at the top end of the Premier League.
Arteta was equally buoyant afterwards. "We talked about the desire that we have to start the season, and to show ourselves how much we want it," Arteta said. "I certainly saw a lot of positive things there against a top opponent."
Beyond the result, ******* nal's transfer planning remains active. The report states they want further business completed before the end of the month, with a right-sided defender a priority after injuries to Jurriën Timber and William Saliba. Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen's Jarell Quansah are among the names under consideration.

#arsenal #result

Hardly anything went right for Manchester City yesterday as they were comfortably beaten 3-0 by ***** nal in the FA Community Shield. Goals from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard saw Enzo Maresca's side well beaten at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Looking at the match and how it transpired, there is one area of the pitch that City must strengthen before the transfer window closes. That is the midfield. It looks like Manchester City are about to step up the process of fortifying their engine room. It is exactly what must be done to help give Enzo Maresca the midfielders he needs to fully implement his system.
Enzo Maresca started Elliot Anderson, Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden in midfield yesterday against ***** nal. Anderson made his City debut, Mateo Kovacic played in a role that he isn't ideally suited to and Phil Foden started as the number ten. Manchester City weren't necessarily swamped in midfield by Mikel Arteta's side. What stood out was how disjointed Enzo Maresca's side were and how easy they were to play through in the opening half-hour of the game.
Elliot Anderson was by no means poor in his City debut. He did put himself about in the hour he was on the pitch. Anderson also needs time to grow into life as a Manchester City player. Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden had moments but overall the necessary quality wasn't there in the engine room for Manchester City. The midfield trio that Maresca opted to start with played like a lineup that had never played together before, and they were. But there is a desperate need for City to add the quality they need to fortify their midfield.
Rodri won't be a part of the solution to Manchester City's midfield issue. Fabrizio Romano reported yesterday that he is on the verge of completing a move to Barcelona. Rodri's departure, alongside that of Tijjani Reijnders opens up ***** e in Manchester City's midfield. It must be filled with quality players. Now, City must shop from the top shelf to bolster their midfield. They have done this when they signed Elliot Anderson. Now they need more quality in midfield to add the options that Enzo Maresca needs.
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca was asked about Manchester City's prospects of completing a move for Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. Maresca reminded everyone that Bouaddi remains a Lille player, but he added that the sooner that City complete any new signings the better. He explained: "He's still a Lille player, but any new signings, any new players, for sure the sooner they arrive it's better because we're going to start the Premier League in one week. And if they start to work with us as soon as possible, it's better because they can also understand the way we want to play."

#city

Did Premier League champions **** nal show just how far ahead of Manchester City they are with their dominant Community Shield win?
Goals from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard helped the Gunners to a 3-0 victory in Cardiff.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he was "a bit surprised" by his side's convincing performance, telling TNT Sports that "to play in the manner we did is extremely impressive".
New City manager Enzo Maresca, who replaced Pep Guardiola over the summer, could say no such thing.
Yet Maresca played down the importance of the result, saying: "It's a defeat that hurts us, but it's just the beginning."

#manchester #community

Mikel Arteta hailed ******* nal's desire "to go straight again" after Manchester City were overwhelmed 3-0 by the Premier League champions in the Community Shield on Sunday.
City never recovered from Riccardo Calafiori's goal after just 24 seconds – the quickest in the Community Shield since 1968 – with Kai Havertz and the outstanding Martin Odegaard putting ******* nal in cruise control just three minutes after the restart in Cardiff.
On the day that City boss Enzo Maresca settled into Pep Guardiola's shoes in a high-profile game for the first time, ******* nal fans added to the Italian's discomfort with chants of 'you're getting sacked in the morning.'
For boss Arteta, though, it was business as usual as ******* nal started where they finished the last domestic season in May by claiming silverware.
Asked where the willingness had come from, Arteta said: "Because we want to go straight again. The desire comes (because) I want to live that moment again.

#arteta #arsenal #shield #boss

Less than five months have passed since Manchester City comprehensively beat ******* nal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, a performance that laid out a gulf in quality between the two clubs, that promised to launch City to the ******* le, that landed a damaging psychological blow to brittle ******* nal minds.
In the following days it was hard to imagine how Mikel Arteta's team would recover from being so comprehensively outplayed. We know how that turned out. Here, on an August day in Cardiff, the two teams met again in a game that could not have been more different. ******* nal ripped City apart in a dominant 3-0 victory to win their third Community Shield under Arteta and 18th overall, behind only Manchester United's 21.
Just as too much was read into that Carabao Cup final, we should resist the urge to hand ******* nal the Premier League trophy before a ball is kicked. This was a glorified friendly and captain Martin Odegaard lifted the trophy with all the faux enthusiasm it deserved.
But in their slick interchanges of passing, in their ability to keep City's dangermen at bay, in the peerless performance of new signings Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis, in the sheer strength in depth available to Mikel Arteta, there were undeniable signs that this ******* nal team might be as strong, perhaps even stronger, than last season's ******* le winners.
It took Riccardo Calafiori only 24 seconds to score ******* nal's first goal, finishing a clever pass by Myles Lewis-Skelly. It took Kai Havertz only four touches to add their second, heading home Tzolis's headed pass. By the time Martin Odegaard had added a brilliant third, taking Tzolis's pass in his stride before tricking Gianluigi Donnarumma into diving too early to leave the goal half empty, City were utterly beaten.

#city #only #pass #arteta

Calafiori slots in opener within 30 seconds before Havertz second
Guimaraes starts for Gunners and Anderson in for City
Arsenal looking for new signings before campaign
How are Man City shaping up ahead of new season
Who are the young players to watch this season?

#city #calafiori

Riccardo Calafiori has broken the record for the fastest goal ever scored in the Community Shield.
Calafiori opened the scoring forArsenal against Manchester City after just 24 seconds at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, racing onto Myles Lewis-Skelly's pass to fire past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The lightning start from thePremier League champions has set a new Community Shield record. Calafiori's opener is the fastest goal in the trophy's history, beating the previous record set by Manchester City's Bobby Owen against West Bromwich Albion in 1968.
Owen's first-minute goal set the Cityzens on route to a 6-1 win over West Brom, with the forward netting after just 35 seconds.
Arsenal's opener has put Mikel Arteta's side in the driving seat for the season's first silverware, as the Gunners look to win the Community Shield for an 18th time.

#record #goal

The new English season is underway as **** nal and Man City go head-to-head in the Community Shield in Cardiff.
There was plenty of anticipation ahead of the 2026/27 curtain-raiser, with these Premier League heavyweights looking for a positive start to the campaign.
Few would have anticipated such a rapid impact from last season's **** le winners, **** nal, who burst forward and led through Riccardo Calafiori's low strike after just 23 seconds.
The ideal start for Mikel Arteta's side, who also broke the record for the fastest-ever goal in the Community Shield.

#community #city

Arsenal: Raya, White, Gabriel, Mosquera, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Guimaraes, Odegaard, Madueke, Tzolis, Havertz
Arsenal subs: Kepa, Hincapie, Merino, Rice, Eze, Dowman, Saka, Gyokeres
Manchester City: Coming soon
Manchester City subs: Coming soon
Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images

#white #mosquera

Arsenal look set to hand Bruno Guimaraes his first start when they face Manchester City in the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium. After stepping off the bench in the midweek win over Como, the Brazil midfielder is now in line to begin a game that will offer a proper early measure of Mikel Arteta's side.
There is no mystery here. ****** nal have had to manage the return of several players after their extended summer break following the World Cup. Guimaraes, Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli only returned to training at the start of the week, so caution has been the obvious approach. Even so, Arteta has made it clear they are ready to feature. "They will be available," Arteta said at his pre-match conference. "They trained with us today, they will train tomorrow. If they are in the condition we expect them to be, they will be involved."
Photo IMAGO
That points to Guimaraes getting the nod alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly, who has done the hard yards all summer and started every pre-season match. It is a sensible pairing, one offering control, legs and a bit of bite. ****** nal need that against Manchester City, because these games are usually decided by who gives the ball away less often.
At the back, ****** nal remain without Jurrien Timber and William Saliba. That leaves Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera as the likely options on the right side of defence, with Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori expected to complete the back line in front of David Raya.

#arsenal #city #side #summer

Myles Lewis-Skelly is already a hot topic and the season isn't officially under way.
The 19-year-old's long-term future at **** nal has been debated since he slipped down the pecking order last season - behind Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie - as **** nal's third choice left-back.
In his breakthrough season in 2024-25, he quickly developed into one of the best young full-backs in the Premier League, which led to him earning a place in the England squad and becoming the youngest man to score on his Three Lions debut.
The following summer, the academy graduate was rewarded with a new five-year contract. But last season was more difficult.
Arsenal had considered listening to offers for Lewis-Skelly, with club sources indicating in April they would look to recoup a minimum combined £100m for Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri.

#last

Riccardo Calafiori is looking forward to renewing his rivalry with Sandro Tonali in England, and has set his sights on adding to ****** nal's haul of silverware.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, the Italy defender welcomed the growing number of his compatriots in the Premier League, the latest being Marco Palestra.
"It gives me great pleasure," Calafiori told Sky Sport. "With Sandro it'll be a lovely derby, naturally I hope to win both. It's nice to have him in the same city, even if we defend completely opposite colours. I wish him, Palestra and all the new arrivals the very best. Deep down, I feel a little less alone."
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 24: Riccardo Calafiori of ****** nal kisses the Premier League Trophy after their team's victory in the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and ****** nal at Selhurst Park on May 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
The defender also spoke of following a World Cup that Italy did not reach.

#riccardo #sandro #italy

Riccardo Calafiori believes **** nal's pursuit of the world's best players underlines the club's status among Europe's elite as speculation continues to grow over the imminent arrival of Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
The Gunners are closing in on a deal for the Brazil international and have also been linked with a sensational move for Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior, although manager Mikel Arteta refused to be drawn on either player following his side's 3-1 pre-season defeat by Real Betis in Dublin.
Calafiori, however, admitted **** nal's growing pulling power reflects how far the Premier League champions have come.
"It's not official, so I cannot speak about him (Bruno)," said the Italy defender.
Asked if actively trying to sign players such as Guimaraes and Vini Jnr were taking **** nal to another level, he added:

#calafiori #bruno

In a recent report, A Bola mentioned that Sunderland are exploring a move for Sporting CP winger Geny Catamo this summer. It has been revealed that the Black Cats have initiated contact to acquire the services of the Mozambique wide player this off-season.
Catamo managed to catch the eye at times for Sporting in the previous campaign as he managed to produce a run of impressive displays for them in Liga Portugal. The 25-year-old registered eight goals and five ******* ists in 47 matches for the Portuguese outfit last season in all competitions.
The Mozambique international is currently one of the most talented wingers in Liga Portugal. Therefore, it is no wonder that the Black Cats are trying to get him on board later this year.
Catamo is under contract at the Portuguese club until the summer of 2028, which could make it difficult for Sunderland to sign him on the cheap in this transfer window.
LISBON, PORTUGAL – APRIL 07: Geny Catamo of Sporting Clube de Portugal shoots while under pressure from Riccardo Calafiori of ******* nal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final First Leg match between Sporting Clube de Portugal and ******* nal FC at Estadio Jose Alvalade on April 07, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

#portugal #catamo #portuguese

Well folks, it's that time again. August is here and so begins ******* nal's slate of preseason matches. Today, the Gunners face Girona to cap off a week of training in Spain. They take on Real Betis (and Hector Bellerin) in Dublin on Wednesday, August 5th, Dortmund next Sunday in the Emirates Cup, and Como on August 12th before the Community Shield on August 16th. The Premier League season kicks off in less than three weeks — the 21st home to newly promoted Coventry.
Arsenal – Kepa, White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Havertz, Nwaneri, Dowman, Tzolis, Gyokeres
Everyone should be prepared to overreact wildly to a lineup several players off the first XI. Because that's what you do in the preseason, after all. None of Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Magalhaes, Martin Ødegaard, Declan Rice, Ebere Eze, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, David Raya, Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi, nor William Saliba are in today's squad.
The Brazilians rejoined the team in the last day or two. Gabriel Martinelli got married a few days ago in Greece but is back with the squad. Martin Ødegaard is due back next week. The England players after that and the Spanish contingent last of all. William Saliba will miss a fair bit of time recovering from the back injury he played through at the end of the season and during the World Cup.
The Gunners are also expected to do a fair bit of business before the start of the season. A move for Bruno Guimaraes seems close. The rumors are swirling around a massive move for Vini Jr. The club intends to sign a CB to cover during Saliba's absence. They may also sign a right back — Jurrien Timber is still recovering from the groin problem that kept him out of the World Cup.

#gabriel #season #saliba

Arsenal have a problem, and it is a serious one. William Saliba, arguably the club’s most important defender, is set for a long spell out after suffering a back injury during France’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain. According to Sky Sports, ****** nal are now looking hard at the centre-back market, with John Stones and Ezri Konsa among the names under consideration.
That much is logical. Saliba has “avoided the need for surgery” but still faces “a lengthy period of rehabilitation”. You do not lose a defender of that calibre and pretend your existing depth solves everything. ****** nal have numbers at the back, yes, but top-level sides do not build plans around wishful thinking. They build around certainty, availability and profile.
That is where this story gets interesting. Stones and Konsa are both credible options, both known quantities in the Premier League, and both capable of playing at right-back. The similarity ends there.
Arsenal have already moved to “consolidated their defensive options” by signing Piero Hincapie permanently after his loan from Bayer Leverkusen. They also have Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera, Jurrien Timber and Ben White available, or close to available, across the defensive line.
But context matters. White is only just back in training after the knee injury he suffered in May. Timber has said he is “hopefully back soon” as he recovers from a groin problem. In other words, there are still too many variables. Arteta cannot go into the season knowing Saliba is out for an “extended period” and simply hope the rest of the puzzle pieces stay in place.

#stones #konsa

Riccardo Calafiori is one of the players who emerged from Roma's youth system and has managed to establish himself on the big stage.
The former Giallorossi defender won the Premier League with ****** nal this year and lost the Champions League final on penalties against PSG (a match in which he was an unused substitute).
Before wearing the ****** nal jersey, the 2002-born player was sold by Mourinho and Pinto's Roma to Basel for just over €2 million, retaining a 40% interest in the future sale.
He subsequently moved to Bologna, and the Giallorossi collected €1.5 million. However, a stalemate ensued over the additional €9 million that Roma requested from the Swiss club.
The Rossoblu sold Calafiori for €43 million, and half of that money, nearly €22 million, ended up in Basel's coffers.

Jose Mourinho is understandably worried about Real Madrid’s defensive situation, and has made it his first priority to renovate the department.
He has already seemingly secured two big names in Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konate and both stars could be announced as new Real Madrid players as early as this week.
The Portuguese manager, however, is not satisfied and has reportedly asked for two more signings – an elite centre-back and a starting-quality left-back.
As confirmed by Diario AS recently, Real Madrid have two targets to fill the aforementioned voids – Josko Gvardiol and Riccardo Calafiori.
Gvardiol is on Madrid’s radar too. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)