Arsenal FINALLY agree £45m Riccardo Calafiori deal!

You paid them the money and let's keep it moving, really and truly. Keep your thoughts coming, people. Let's go over a bit of this news as well, people, because as much as I like the combo, we have a job to do. Now, Romano, this is the first thing I saw before I got the thumbnail and everything sorted. Romano has said, I understand Arsenal are now close to reach a total agreement with Bologna for Ricardo Californi. Positive talks took place behind the scenes with the player's agent, Alessandro Lucci, on it. Arsenal now confident to get it done. So personal terms are done. We're getting the fee over the line. Medical soon. Lying to us that you grew up watching Thierry Henry, holding scarves, all of these kind of things. Has Romano provided an update? I've never, you know what, Romano's, big up Romano, but he is annoying to follow because he remixes the same things again and again. I've never been more happy to see Romano news. He said as well, Arsenal and Bologna have reached an agreement for California after breakthrough revealed earlier. I understand the fee is 40 million euros plus 5 million in add-ons and a sell-on clause. Final step needed. Basel and Bologna to agree 50% sell-on payments. Then here we go. Bit conflicted where Basel's concerned because we have seen some reports that, you know, they're playing hardball. You've seen some reports that Basel were not an issue. And for what it's worth, if I'm Basel, I'm saying to Bologna and not that I have to talk to Arsenal, that's your problem. You do what you need to do with Arsenal. When you signed California last summer, you agreed to give us 50% of a sell-on clause. I want 50% or 40 odd million. Obviously, that has a knock-on effect for Bologna. They want to dot eyes and cross tees properly. We have heard that we was haggling over 5 to 8 million. It did feel like the calm before the storm and we've got the deal done, really. I wonder how much we'll continue to buy players from Bologna, really, because that's now Tomi Yasu and now California. I wonder if it keeps going up. There was even rumours we tried to offer Kivio. That didn't take us nowhere. So yeah, that's what Romano has said, people. Demarzio has said it's a 50 million euros package. Arsenal are pushing to seal the final agreement with Bologna. The last add-ons and sell-on structure are what's there. Ornstein has said Arsenal are accelerating their efforts to sign Bologna defender California. Arsenal are now progressing the situation and look to complete a deal for the 22-year-old as soon as possible, with other clubs looking for a similar profile this summer. I'm not going to lie. Last night, I would say around Thursday, when it started becoming apparent that this is going to drag on, you know, you did see Real Madrid links once upon a time. Juventus have been in the backwaters. The Italy international is comfortable playing either as a centre-half or a left-back and impressed at the Euros. We all know he was initially at Roma. Again, check out the several tactical videos I've done on him. He spent a year at Basel playing primarily as a left-back slash left-wing back. Obviously, Thiago Motta moved him to a central defender. And it also means that you can rest, you know, Gabriel. And it's not always that. We've got good issues. Now, I've never been one of those fans. And I think football fans are weird. Like, Saliba's got nothing to do with this. But people used to sit there and say, oh, Saliba, you can't play on the left-hand side. Come on, anyone that's played Sunday League, bro, if you can play as a right-sided centre-half, you can play on the left. Obviously, there are factors where you're going to look stronger. But you can play on either side, right? It's not that deep, really and truly. But now we've got different options. Again, God forbid, but if something happens, you've got, you know, Gabriel swapping out for Californi. Saliba could play as a left-sided centre-back. Then you've got someone like Benjamin Whiting. Then you've obviously got the Timbers, the Tommy Asses. We need to win something for me, man. We're finally getting decent options. And I don't want to go left with what I'm about to say and go off-topic, people. But I think up front, yes, I would like a striker and a winger. But we've got some good options. Defensively, Californi, sweating the appetite. The age profiles, the options, the competition for places. We dreamed of stuff like this, right? Central midfield. Some of you have been supporting me for years. How passionate have I been about central midfield? We're not talking about central midfield in the same vein, are we? You know, take nothing away from Jorginho, from Partey, from on paper at the moment. Smith-Rowe and Fabio Vieira are still here. But apart from Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, I'm a bit nervous because they're the only kind of long-termers here, if I'm honest with you. You know, obviously Odegaard can play as an eight, but he plays in that kind of advanced role. So if we focus on people that are playing in the pivot, I don't care if it's Moreno, Zubermandi, this guy, that guy. I need to be looking at that midfield in the same vein because games are won and lost in either end of the pitch, as you guys know, but it's played in midfield. And midfield has never been that more important, especially when you look at how football is about NBA kind of matches now. It's all high turnovers and whatnot. You know, you've got full backs running into midfield. So it is about that. I'm not chatting nonsense, but you get the point. What have we said here? Shout out social joins off topic. The blue exclusive training kit is better than the away kit, leaked third kit, copped the blue training kit. I haven't seen the blue one, but based on the way you're saying it, I'm here for this, man. Defensively, we're good now. Get a midfielder, an eight. Since Partey staying and a winger, then we're good and hopefully a striker. I doubt it though. Kyle, I'm with you with that. But at the same time, the Athletic are not Edu and Mikel Ortega and all of these kinds of things. But it seems like the club are continuing with Declan Rice in that eight role. Like he can obviously do the six stuff, but you're going to stay in the eight. So I'm of the belief we're going to find a six now. But in an ideal world, I'd love to have Declan Rice, another eight and another six. So I'm with you. I just want to central midfield at this point, man. I don't think we can do anything serious unless we act in that regards, man. If we don't sign what we need to sign this upcoming market, I think we're in issues. Don't forget the field tilt. Shout my guy different nut, man. I need to get him on next week, but I think that's what for him. We need a six and an eight to go with Partey and Jorginho. I agree with you, David, but I don't see us buying two midfielders and holding on to Partey for a year and Jorginho. I think, you know, we'll probably bring one in this window and then you bring a next one in next summer, maybe January. I wonder if Partey and Jorginho will both go. You never know. Jorginho could sign an extension and be more of a coach. Partey's form. How many times have you seen a player who looks like their days are numbered, their form is out of this world, and then they get a new deal. I do think this is the last season that we're going to have Partey. DJ, do you see California long-term as a left-sided centre-back? I do feel Gabriel's ceiling is reached. We don't get a better version of him. Nah, that's harsh. That's harsh on Gabriel. That's very harsh on Gabriel. And, you know, he's got the Bozo gene and whatnot. He had that previously. I think he's only now starting to get his flowers. The minute Saliba was here, Saliba got a chant. Gabriel only now got that. I think that's a bit harsh. You look at how Gabriel played last season, beyond the obvious. He's taken that fire, that Brazilian hunger, you know, that kind of... Because he used to get rattled quite a lot. And he's moulded it in a great way. I think that's harsh, man. I think Gabriel can go up some levels, really, really and truly. But, obviously, you know, if California develops, if you're able to bring in Gerard Hattell next summer, then naturally you have to engineer for Gabriel's departure someday, really. It's good problems. If Gabriel's form falls off a cliff, or, you know, if we had California last summer, where it seemed like Gabriel kind of lost his head with the Saudi links, maybe if California was there, we'd never see this return of form of Gabriel. Now, you're either a finisher or you aren't, can't be learned. Gabriel Jesus is not the answer and never will be, unfortunately, in the goalscoring front. I agree. If we get the pre-World Cup injury Jesus, I'm confident. I'm backing Gabriel Jesus. I'm not saying he's going to score 20 league goals. I'm just saying he's going to put a lot more respect on his name. Will we even buy a wing off? Because I want an inside forward and a striker, but the club might sit there and say, you know what, Kai Havertz, you're the striker. Gabriel Jesus, you can play up there. You were the guy we signed. You changed our lives, like Mikel Arteta said. But at the same time, you can obviously play out wide. I've said it from the moment we signed Gabriel Jesus, in that we need to use him how City used him. You're a rotational player that can play across the front three, but you can't make the difference for us like that. Lovely Super Chat. I appreciate all the support, whether it's Super Chats, engagement, conversations, etc. Don't forget to hit the like button. Big up, DG. Finally, we got our guy. Time for fans to trust Edu and Arsenal to get the signings we need. Stop panicking and relax. Keep up the good work. This is what I'm saying. And for me, I think you can praise and critique fairly, but this is why I always say, I'll reserve judgment on the business we've done when the market is shut, because I don't know what the club are doing on the back burners. But as a fan, I understand this transfer season. Everyone's hyped. You're seeing United making one, two movements. You're seeing a couple of... You're seeing Aston Villa actually sign one, two players. Kiviu turning down the Bologna move as he wants to stay at Arsenal gives me the hint that it will be Zinchenko leaving this summer instead of him. Zinchenko's got a new agent. We'll get on to all of this, people. I promise you lot. But Zinchenko allegedly has a new agent. Why are you getting a new agent? Did the agreement with your old one just come to an end? Are you trying to, you know, sort out your future at Arsenal? Are you trying to get a move elsewhere or whatever, innit? I don't know. I think literally all options are on the table because there is a reality to keep both Kiviu and Zinchenko. For them, it will be peak. You're not going to play that much. But for us selfish Arsenal fans and for Mikel Arteta, to have bodies in case of injuries is great. Where I look at it though, it depends how you look at it because I guess from a business point of view...