Arsenal summer signing opens up on “easy” first encounter with Mikel Arteta

Arsenal summer signing Riccardo Calafiori has revealed the details of his first encounter with Mikel Arteta, describing how “easy” it was to talk to the Arsenal manager, Soccernet.football reports.

Calafiori swapped Serie A for Premier League football, turning down Juventus to sign a five-year contract at the Emirates after the Gunners agreed to pay Bologna £42m for his services.

The Italian has made an impression on Arsenal fans in his first few months at the club, becoming a fan favorite after scoring a stunning goal against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in late September.

In an interview with BBC Sport, Calafiori discussed the process behind his move to Arsenal, revealing that he needed little persuasion as he was already moved by both the club and the manager.

“He [Arteta] first wrote to me and then said ‘Can I call you?’” said the 23-year-old defender.

“It was so humble and so easy on the phone. He wanted to explain the situation and what they thought about me, what I could improve.

“He tried to convince me but I was already convinced. Not just because it is Arsenal but because it is Mikel.

“During my first training session I was thinking ‘is this real?’. When seeing the Arsenal logo, could I ever think I would be here now. It is such an amazing journey.”

Calafiori also admitted that he sought advice from former AS Roma manager Daniele de Rossi before making his mind up to accept the switch to north London.

“He [De Rossi] is one of my friends and I always ask him about my biggest decisions and he always gives me good advice,” revealed Calafiori.

“I spoke to him about coming to Arsenal and he said ‘this one of the biggest opportunities for you to improve as a player’.”