Arsenal have several options at left-back, but Mikel Arteta could seek to sign a specialist upgrade in the position.
There has been constant change at left-back throughout the year, with all three of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber suffering from injury problems.
Jakub Kiwior stepped in to start for a while, but the centre-back’s limitations out wide began to show, and like Zinchenko, he was dropped to the bench by the end of the campaign with Tomiyasu returning.
Kiwior did perform well at times, but the 24-year-old’s prospects of game time in his natural central position look slim, whilst he did not do enough to convince Arteta to make himself a starter on the left.
The Poland star has been linked with a move back to Serie A, a league Kiwior loved playing in with Spezia, as AC Milan and Juventus are interested, and a sizeable sale could give Arteta the opportunity to secure an upgrade on him in Italy star Riccardo Calafiori.
Italy star Riccardo Calafiori shines in important Euro 2024 clash
Italy secured their place in the Euro 2024 knockout rounds in dramatic fashion as they scored a last-minute equaliser against Croatia, and centre-back Riccardo Calafiori was a standout performer.
The 22-year-old was comfortable on the ball and helped push forward a lot, and also created the goal with a fierce driving run before laying off the ball to Mattia Zaccagni to score, with Italian media praising his impact as “decisive.”
The defender joined Bologna from Basel a year ago, but has thoroughly impressed in Serie A, and is of interest to several clubs. Arteta should perhaps look at him as a possible surprise signing for Arsenal this summer.
Riccardo Calafiori would be an outstanding signing for Arsenal to replace Jakub Kiwior
Calafiori, like Kiwior, is a left-footed centre-back who can also play on the flanks. However, he has more experience than the Arsenal star as an advanced left-back, having predominantly played the role at Basel, and occasionally filling in at Bologna.
The 22-year-old is a younger option than Kiwior, but is already an upgrade when it comes to his ability on the ball, completing over double the number of progressive carries per 90 minutes, with 1.07 vs Kiwior’s 0.41.
Calafiori has also played further up the pitch, and he could be the answer to replacing Zinchenko as well as Kiwior, as a player who can impact both the attack and defence. He ranks in the top 3% of European centre-backs for shot-creating actions, and is a player with the potential to improve if given an extended run in the Arsenal side.
It remains to be seen what kind of fee is needed to sign him, especially given his rising stock, but if Kiwior does move back to Italy, the Italian could be his ideal replacement.