Riccardo Calafiori is a player of interest to Real Madrid, as per Fabrizio Romano.

“Real Madrid are not finished when it comes to strengthening their defence. Their focus remains on both the centre-back and left-back positions,” Romano admitted.

“At left-back, Real Madrid have Alvaro Carreras, while Ferland Mendy is currently injured and has struggled with injuries over recent years. The club’s idea is to find a player capable of operating both as a centre-back and a left-back. Riccardo Calafiori fits that profile and is considered an interesting option.

“There have also been reports regarding Joško Gvardiol. He is admired by several clubs, but at the moment he remains a very difficult target because Manchester City view him as a crucial player.

“What I can reveal is that Real Madrid made contact with people close to Calafiori a few weeks ago to gather information about the Italian defender. Calafiori remains a very important player for Arsenal, making any potential deal far from straightforward. Arsenal consider him an important part of their long-term project.”