Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori endured a frustration first season at the Emirates as injuries continued to hamper him, but Mikel Arteta believes a big season is on the cards from the Italian
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has challenged Riccardo Calafiori to produce in his second season at the club after his debut campaign was blighted by injuries which prevented him producing his best football.
The Italian was signed last summer but only started 11 times in the Premier League. Early on he showed the impact he could have, scoring a stunning strike against Manchester City, but an injury whilst on international duty hampered his efforts.
Calafiori’s best run of availability was six games, which meant he couldn’t get a consistent run of games. Arteta is hoping for more “luck” and hopes that the 23-year-old can become far more integral in the Arsenal backline.
It is already a competitive area of the squad with Myles Lewis-Skelly emerging last season to add more depth, but Calafiori brings qualities that the Gunners boss believes can massively benefit the side as they aim to end a run of three successive second-place finishes.
He said: “It’s a big season for him. He looks very, very excited. We know that one of the biggest things we have to achieve this season is availability. It’s true that the main two injuries that he had were on international duty while he was playing with Italy. But these things can happen.
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“Now we want a player that is consistently available and performing at the level that he can do. Because he brings an energy and predictability to the team that we really are going to need. He was certainly missed for a big part of last season. Hopefully that second season with more understanding and a little bit more luck, which I think he will miss as well, we can see a great version of him.”
The ex-Bologna man, despite his obvious frustrations, insists he has no regrets over making the move to the Emirates and believes he showed in his limited time on the pitch that he was more than capable of cutting it in the Premier League.
“Here I measured myself against the most important and difficult championship in the world,” he said. “I saw that I can be there easily, this made me very happy and I am convinced of the choice I made. A regret? None, absolutely.”
Arsenal have already waved goodbye to one defender this summer after Takehiro Tomiyasu left the club after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract. The Japan star is recovering from knee surgery, played just six minutes of football last season and faces up to another five months out as his rehab continues.
The Gunners were linked with a move for Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi, but have found the commanding and reliable centre-half duo of William Saliba and Gabriel in recent years.
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