Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has impressed in his first eight appearances for the Gunners, with The Athletic journalist Nick Miller admitting he was wrong about the summer signing, describing him as “among the most fun players” in the Premier League so far.
Labelled “enjoyably chaotic without being a liability”, Calafiori has provided a much-needed confidence boost for Arsenal’s defence on the left in recent matches and even scored a stunning goal in his full Premier League debut against Manchester City.
The Italian international has made a strong impression in his first string of matches, seemingly ending the debate over Mikel Arteta’s preferred left-back by outperforming both Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior for the time being.
Calafiori’s versatility was on full display in Arsenal’s recent encounter with Paris Saint-Germain, where the defender was deployed at right-back in the second half and never put a foot wrong in the 2-0 victory.
The 22-year-old became one of four new arrivals at the Emirates this summer, alongside Mikel Merino, Raheem Sterling, and Neto, with the latter two joining on season-long loans. The Roma-born defender signed a five-year deal with the Gunners in a transfer worth £42m.
