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Fabrizio Romano has confirmed \u2018contact\u2019 between Real Madrid and a \u2018very important\u2019 Arsenal player has been established, and reports claim Jose Mourinho has requested the signing be made.<\/p>\n
The need for Real Madrid<\/strong> to strengthen their backline was crystal clear even before the defensive-minded Jose Mourinho was hired as their new manager.<\/p>\n A pair of high profile if slightly underwhelming additions have already been sealed. Denzel Dumfries, 30, is arriving from Inter Milan after his \u20ac20m release clause was triggered. Liverpool\u2019s Ibrahima Konate is joining via free agency on the back of the worst season of his career.<\/p>\n However, two Spanish reporters recently claimed Mourinho wants one more defender to arrive before he considers the defensive rebuild complete.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where Arsenal<\/strong> factor in, with the reporters claiming Mourinho has instructed Real Madrid to sign Riccardo Calafiori<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The 24-year-old plays either as a left-back or centre-back, which is the exact profile of player Real are looking for.<\/p>\n They\u2019ve also been linked with Manchester City\u2019s Josko Gvardiol and Micky van de Ven of Tottenham \u2013 both of whom are also left-footers capable of playing both positions.<\/p>\n And according to the latest from transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid have already established contact with Calafiori\u2019s camp.<\/p>\n \u201cReal Madrid are not done for defenders,\u201d declared Romano on his YouTube channel<\/em>. \u201cThe situation is linked to the centre-back and left-back position.<\/p>\n \u201cBasically at left-back they have Alvaro Carreras and Ferland Mendy who is injured now and has had many injuries over the years.<\/p>\n \u201cAt centre-back, the idea at Real Madrid is if there\u2019s an opportunity of a player who can help as a centre-back and left-back \u2013 and Riccardo Calafiori<\/strong> is that profile \u2013 for Real Madrid it could be an interesting option to follow in the market.\u201d<\/p>\n Romano then claimed the links to Gvardiol probably won\u2019t amount to anything given Man City view the Croatian as a \u201ccrucial player.\u201d<\/p>\n And getting back to Calafiori, Romano insisted \u201ccontact\u201d has been made with Calafiori\u2019s representatives.<\/p>\n MORE ARSENAL COVERAGE ON F365\u2026<\/strong> He added: \u201cWhat I can reveal is there\u2019s been a contact with those close to Calafiori a few weeks ago, with Real Madrid asking for information on the Italian defender.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s still a very important player for\u00a0Arsenal, so it\u2019s not an easy one at all.\u201d<\/p>\n As mentioned, the Italian is regarded highly by Mikel Arteta and co, even if he\u2019s not a guaranteed starter.<\/p>\n In the Champions League final, for example, it was Piero Hincapie who got the nod at left-back and the Ecuadorian played the full 120 minutes.<\/p>\n The fact William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are unmoveable at centre-back means Calafiori is no stranger to warming the bench.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, our colleagues over on TEAMtalk revealed back in March that Arsenal have no desire to cash in on Calafiori this summer<\/strong>. There\u2019s been nothing since to suggest that stance has softened.<\/p>\n READ NEXT: <\/strong><\/em>Haaland signing for Madrid as election goes full Trump and more\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\nReal Madrid make contact for Riccardo Calafiori transfer<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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