Legal action threatened as Arsenal €45m+ Calafiori fee to be shared by 3 clubs
Arsenal‘s pursuit of Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori is set to trigger a financial domino effect, potentially benefiting three clubs involved in the transfer.
While the Gunners have agreed on a €45 million deal with Bologna, the structure of the transfer involves a complex sell-on clause that will see a significant portion of the fee distributed to both Basel, Calafiori’s former club, and Roma, his youth club.
When Calafiori moved from Basel to Bologna last year, the Swiss club included a 50% sell-on clause in the deal. This means that if Bologna sells Calafiori for a profit, Basel is entitled to half of that profit.
In this case, with Arsenal reportedly paying €45 million, Basel stands to receive a substantial windfall.
However, the financial implications don’t stop there. According to reports from Corriere dello Sport, Roma, Calafiori’s youth club, also holds a 40% claim on Basel‘s share of the transfer profit.
This means that if Basel receives €22.5 million (50% of the €45 million transfer fee), Roma could be entitled to around €8-9 million of that amount. This arrangement stems from a clause inserted when Calafiori moved from Roma to Basel in 2022.
The deal has reportedly angered Roma, who believe Basel is attempting to avoid paying them their due share. Roma has already sent a letter to Basel demanding payment of what they believe was agreed upon at the time of Calafiori’s transfer to Switzerland. The Italian club is reportedly prepared to take legal action if necessary to secure their share of the windfall.
Despite the complexities surrounding the fee distribution, Calafiori is eager to join Arsenal and is reportedly attracted by the prospect of working under Mikel Arteta. He has already agreed to a five-year deal with the club, worth €4m-a-season, and sees Arsenal as an ideal environment to further his career.
The Italian defender, who impressed during his first season with Bologna, is considered a promising talent with the potential to strengthen Arsenal‘s defensive options.