Mikel Arteta says new signing Riccardo Calafiori told him weeks ago: ‘My bags are packed, I just want to join Arsenal.’
The Italian now hopes to be in action against Liverpool on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old Bologna defender signed a five-year contract with Arsenal, worth around £42million, and joined the squad in Philadelphia on Monday.
Arteta said: ‘I spoke to him once or twice and I wasn’t sure whether we could do it or not.
‘He was adamant: ‘Let me know when you’re ready, my bags are packed and I just want to join Arsenal.’ Those were his words.
Riccardo Calafiori (right) pictured signing his Arsenal contract alongside manager Mikel Arteta
Calafiori will wear the number 33 shirt following his £42million move from Bologna in Italy
“When you have someone with that willingness and that passion to join us and make us better and that determination, that’s really powerful. As a club, we should be really proud of that.”
Arsenal play Liverpool on Wednesday at Lincoln Financial Field, where Calafiori may also play.
“I don’t know, he had a long flight yesterday and the medical,” Arteta said on Monday.
“The last 48 hours have been busy for him. He hasn’t really done anything with the team. Let’s see how he is doing.
“If he’s available, fine, he can play maybe a few minutes. But if he’s not ready, we’re not going to push him.”
On what the Italian brings to his team, Arteta added: “He’s a player we’ve been watching for about a year. Last season we really lacked players at the back. We asked so much of them.
According to Arteta, Calafiori was ‘determined’ he would move to Arsenal this summer
Calafiori has joined Arsenal’s squad for their pre-season tour of the United States
‘Willy [Saliba] for example, played every minute of the Premier League and we believe we need to protect them much better.
We have identified him [Calafiori] as a top player, a talent with the skills and qualities that will make us better. He is still a player with enormous development potential.’
