Calafiori drops Roma bombshell as Arsenal minutes dry up

The transfer merry-go-round never really stops, does it? Just over a year after Arsenal splashed £42million on Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna, the Italian defender is already casting longing glances back towards the Giallorossi.

The versatile left-back, who can also play centrally, has opened up about a potential Roma reunion, hardly music to Mikel Arteta's ears. Calafiori's comments come at a tricky moment for the 23-year-old, whose minutes have evaporated since a muscle injury sidelined him earlier in the campaign.

Having established himself as a regular starter in the opening months of the season, Calafiori has since been usurped by Piero Hincapie at left-back. The situation grew more frustrating when he didn't even make the bench during recent victories over Tottenham and Chelsea—a telling sign of where he stands in the pecking order.

Speaking to Calciomercato, Calafiori didn't mince his words: "I'd like to return to Roma sooner or later. Obviously, we can't plan our career now, but yes, I can imagine it. Also, because I left halfway, everything started out really well: goals, I even had the chance to play a bit more."

His departure from Roma in August 2022 remains a sore point. A move to FC Basel that was supposed to elevate his career instead became a cautionary tale. "Then, for various reasons, I first went on loan and then they sold me," he explained. "It definitely didn't go as I'd hoped, for several reasons. Returning also to celebrate under the Curva Sud? That's also why."

Since arriving at the Emirates, Calafiori has clocked up 54 appearances, contributing four goals and five assists. But his path forward at Arsenal looks increasingly congested. Hincapie, currently on loan, is expected to join permanently for £45million and has been catching the eye. Throw in academy prospect Myles Lewis-Skelly as another left-back option, and Calafiori's options are limited.

Moving to centre-back isn't a realistic solution either—Gabriel and William Saliba have those spots locked down tight.

With his contract extending to June 2029, an immediate exit seems unlikely. Yet summer 2027 could tell a different story if he remains stuck on the fringes.

Calafiori isn't alone in his predicament. Ben White, the right-back, is also weighing up his future as starts become harder to come by, with Everton and Newcastle United reportedly circling. Should White depart, Arsenal have been linked with Corinthians' Matheuzinho, though the club has also been scouting more established names like Tino Livramento, Michael Kayode, and Ivan Fresneda.