Chelsea and Spurs move fast to win transfer race for £34m in-demand defender

Chelsea are said to have joined Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle in the race for the Bologna star defender Riccardo Calafiori. Arsenal had long been eyeing up a move for the Serie A club’s key frontman Joshua Zirkzee but now it appears the Premier League are ready to steal more of Bologna’s footballers with both Enzo Maresca and Ange Postecoglou hopeful of signing the Italian centre-back.

It was reported on Thursday by Tutto Juve that Spurs had ‘rushed’ towards signing the defender, who is also being eyed up Juventus in the summer transfer window. However, further reports from Corriere di Bologna, as relayed by TuttoMercatoWeb, indicate the N17 side are not the only Premier League side to be keen on the Italy international with both the Magpies and Blues also in the picture.

The centre-back is said to have ‘aroused interest’ from the Premier League clubs with the report also adding that they have made contact with the Serie A side in the ‘last few hours’.

Calafiori was exceptionally impressive under Thiago Motta at Bologna last campaign. Motta then left the side to join Juventus which could be another factor in Calafiori’s decision to head to Turin over a potential Premier League move.

Corriere di Bologna also add that Bologna, who finished fifth in the last campaign, have reiterated their wish to keep hold of the player, thus making a move to the Premier League even trickier. The club have indicated they will not part with him for less than €40 million (£34m).

Calafiori, who was one of Serie A’s top performers in 2023/24, impressed his admirers in Italy’s opening Euros game against Albania but subsequently scored an own goal to give Spain a 1-0 win on Thursday night. The 22-year-old is a youth product of Roma, making ten league appearances for them before heading to Basel in 2022.

He joined Bologna in 2023, switching from left-back to a centre-back role, and was one of the standout performers that ensured Bologna qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1964-65, aiding the club to a top-five Serie A finish.