Real Madrid linked with player Arsenal are close to signing

Real Madrid have already completed a blockbuster deal for Kylian Mbappe to arrive at Santiago Bernabeu this summer and that too as a free agent. That must be a scary thought for teams around Spain and Europe. Carlo Ancelotti's team are the La Liga and Champions League holders, and they have now added arguably the best player in the world to their ranks.

There are other areas they are expected to be looking to improve as well. One of them appears to be centre-back.

Real Madrid have been heavily linked with a move for Leny Yoro. The Frenchman is a prodigy and has been a regular starter for Lille for quite some time, even though he is still just 18 years of age.

It looks like Real Madrid have alternative plans in place as well, in case a move for Yoro does not work out. As reported by AS, in Valdebebas they have a plan B, Riccardo Calafiori, the 22-year-old Italian centre-back from Bologna.

Real Madrid linked with player Arsenal are close to signing

While the Italian international looks like a fantastic talent, that news is somewhat unexpected. That is because as reported by Fabrizio Romano, Calafiori wants to join Arsenal, after the agreement on personal terms. The club-to-club deal with Bologna is still being negotiated.

Calafiori has certainly enjoyed a meteoric rise. Less than a year ago, he was playing for FC Basel in Switzerland. But he ended up moving to Bologna last summer and had an excellent season with them.

Even then, Calafiori was not exactly a household name going into EURO 2024. He did catch the eye of many during the tournament in Germany despite Italy's underwhelming performance. And now, it looks like a high-profile move awaits the 22-year-old defender this summer. Will his next destination be Madrid or London, time shall tell.