Liverpool urged to hijack £42m transfer for star who would go straight into starting XI

Former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann has urged Arne Slot to hijack Arsenal’s deal to sign Riccardo Calafiori. The Gunners are reportedly on the verge of taking the defender from Bologna in a £42million move, after he enhanced his reputation at Euro 2024.

The 22-year-old has only spent one season in Serie A after moving from Basel, but was pivotal in his club qualifying for the Champions League for the first time since the 1964-65 campaign.

And his form won him a place in Italy’s squad for Euro 2024, despite only winning one cap before heading to Germany.

And with the Reds seemingly reluctant to match the asking price for Lille star Leny Yoro, who is on the verge of a move to Manchester United, Hamann is in no doubt over who their next target should be. He cited Italy’s defeat to Switzerland this month, which came when the player was suspended, as proof of his impact.

“Riccardo Calafiori is a very good player and is so comfortable on the ball,” he told Top Offshore Casinos. “It’s no surprise that when he missed Italy’s game against Switzerland, they put in a terrible performance. They were awful from start to finish, awful.”

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk has just 12 months left on his current deal, having just turned 33. However, it’s not the Dutchman who Hamann argues needs to be replaced in the long-run if Slot is to challenge for trophies in his first season in charge.

“I think Virgil van Dijk said he wants to stay and he wants to be with his fellow countryman Arne Slot, he wants to help him get back to winning ways at Liverpool,” he said. “Ibrahima Konate is a brilliant defender but just has too many injuries.

“But Calafiori would be a very good player depending on how much he’d cost. He’s certainly a player that would be a starter for Liverpool given what he did for his club last season and for his country. He’s the type of player who improves your team and obviously that’s mighty important when you want to challenge for trophies.”

Liverpool appear short of defensive reinforcements after Joel Matip’s contract expired last month. Joe Gomez has also been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, with Vincent Kompany now touted to move for the England international now he’s returned home from Euro 2024.

Critically, Calafiori is equally adept on the left side of defence as he is at centre-back. And given Andy Robertson’s injury problems last season, the Italian could also serve as adequate cover in that department for Slot.

However, the club will have to act quickly if they are to have any hope of snaring Calafiori, who has also been linked with Chelsea.