With Euro 24 now in full swing clubs will be paying attention to who impresses at the tournament. Manchester City will be no exception to this as they look to strengthen their squad for next season. A new report indicates that one player that has caught the eye of the world champions is Italian international Riccardo Calafiori.
The young defender followed up his impressive season with Bologna with an eye-catching performance during Italy’s 2-1 win over Albania. James Horncastle has reported for the Athletic that Manchester City are curious about the Italian international. Horncastle also reports that Juventus and Bayern Munich are also interested in Calafiori. Furthermore, Horncastle adds that any potential move for Calafiori wouldn’t come cheap. That is due to a sizable sell-on clause with his former FC Basel.
Riccardo Calafiori is a player who appears suited to Manchester City as a modern-day centre-back.
As a player, Riccardo Calafiori plays similarly to John Stones. His ability to drop into midfield was a weapon for Bologna last season as Bologna clinched a spot in the UEFA Champions this season. Calafiori can also be an attacking weapon while playing in defence. Across 37 appearances in all competitions for Bologna, he scored 2 goals and 5 assists. That is elite for a player who primarily plays as a central defender.
All of Calafiori’s strong attributes were on display in Italy’s 2-1 win Group B win over Albania to begin Euro 24. As per statistics from Sofascore Calafiori completed 99/106 passes and his ability to add another option in Italy’s midfield stood out in their win. It will interesting to see how Calafiori performs for the remainder of the tournament given the reported interest of Manchester City, Juventus and Bayern Munich.
It is clear to see why Riccardo Calafiori has caught the eye of Manchester City. He fits the mould of a player who could thrive in Pep Guardiola’s system. Going forward it could be a story to watch for if the world champions do decide to move for a player who appears to be the prototype for a modern-day central defender.
