Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has spoken openly about a return to Roma amid his struggle for starts under Mikel Arteta.

Calafiori joined Arsenalin July 2024 when the Gunners paid Bologna ￡42million for his signature. The versatile Italian, who can play as a centre-half or at left-back, had been heavily tipped to join Juventus, but Arsenal ultimately won the transfer chase.

Overall, Calafiorihas made 54 appearances for Arsenal, chipping in with four goals and five assists.

He was a regular in the starting eleven in the first half of the current campaign but has found minutes hard to come by since returning from a muscle injury, with Piero Hincapie taking his place at left-back.

Calafiori will likely be unhappy with his situation as he did not even get off the bench during recent league wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

That makes his comments about rejoining Roma even more interesting. Calciomercatoquote him as saying: “I’d like to return to Roma sooner or later.?Obviously, we can’t plan our career now, but yes, I can imagine it.

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“Also, because I left halfway, everything started out really well: goals, I even had the chance to play a bit more.”

The player also discussed his rather surprising move from Roma to FC Basel in August 2022.

“Then, for various reasons, I first went on loan and then they sold me,” he added. “It definitely didn’t go as I’d hoped, for several reasons. Returning also to celebrate under the Curva Sud? That’s also why.”

Hincapie has impressed in recent weeks and is likely to join Arsenal permanently for ￡45m following the end of his loan spell. He is not the only player competing with Calafiori for minutes at left-back, as Myles Lewis-Skelly is also available to Arteta.

Calafiori cannot simply switch to playing as a centre-back, as Gabriel and William Saliba have those places locked down.

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Calafiori’s contract runs until June 2029, and he is unlikely to push for a transfer just two years into his Arsenal adventure.

However, summer 2027 could be a different matter entirely if Hincapie and Lewis-Skelly are ahead of him in the pecking order.

Calafiori is not the only full-back considering his future at the Emirates, as Ben White is also frustrated by his lack of starts.

White has emerged as a target for clubs such as Everton and Newcastle United as he weighs up his future.

In order to replace the Englishman, Arsenal have been linked with a move for Corinthians talent Matheuzinho.

Other, better-known options include Tino Livramento, Michael Kayode and Ivan Fresneda.

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