Bologna have completed the signing of former Roma youth product Riccardo Calafiori on a five-year contract from Basel. The 21-year-old has been in Switzerland for one season, having spent three seasons with the Roma senior squad. A statement from the Rossoblu confirmed the move:
Bologna FC 1909 is happy to announce the purchase of defender Riccardo Calafiori from FC Basel.
The talented 21-year-old left-back is a rapid, powerful player with great running abilities and a long stride. Equipped with good individual skills, he knows how to target and beat his man, thanks also to his irrepressible physicality, clear right from back in his youth days at Roma. The Italian Under 17 2017/18 Champion, suffered a serious injury to his left knee during a Youth League match. After a long rehabilitation, he made his senior debut with the Giallorossi in August 2020 under Fonseca. In the following season, he made his debut in the Europa League with Roma, playing 5 games and scoring his first professional goal from outside the box against Young Boys.
Getting less game time under Mourinho, Calafiori went out on loan from Roma to Genoa before moving to FC Basel on a permanent basis where he quickly picked up some minutes and gained the coach’s trust, reaching the Conference league semi-final with the Club and scoring a goal in the round of 16 against Slovan Bratislava. He loves to attack the space in front of him and is great at supporting his teammates, he easily drops in to complete triangular passing formations. He is a fixed presence in Nicolato’s Under 21 national squad.
