Arsenal plan to ‘get rid’ of Riccardo Calafiori after ‘serious’ update
Arsenal will be open to letting Riccardo Calafiori leave the club at the end of the season amid ongoing concerns about his growing injury record.
The 23-year-old remains a key part of Mikel Arteta‘s starting XI when fit, but the number of injuries he has suffered in a short time are becoming a problem.
The Gunners have shown themselves to be ruthless when dealing with similar issues in the past, when Takehiro Tomiyasu saw his contract at the Emirates terminated.
As a result, former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Arsenal will not rule out letting Calafiori leave should any offers arrive in the summer.
Arteta is keen to have a reliable and deep squad available to him as his side hold ambitions of competing across all four competitions year after year.
- Read more: Arsenal fans stunned by what they saw vs Wigan.
Arsenal open to Riccardo Calafiori exit
Brown told Football Insider in May 2025 that Arsenal were open to letting Calafiori leave amid worries about his fitness and injury issues.
The Italy international dropped out of the Gunners starting XI ahead of their FA Cup win against Wigan, with the extent of his latest injury currently unknown.
“Arsenal are making assessments of Calafiori,” Brown told Football Insider.
“If the medical team decide he is more prone to injuries, and it’s not something they can manage with playing time and stuff like that, it’s going to be a serious problem.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if they looked to get rid of him if that was the case.
“Arteta wants to have players who can be available every week, he doesn’t want to gamble on their fitness because of the competitions they’re in.
“Arsenal want to compete in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup every year and for that they need a deep squad.
“If you have somebody like Calafiori who might be fit for three games and then injured for four, it’s going to be a concern no matter how good they are when they’re fit.
“Arsenal are in a good position in that they have other players who can play in that position, and that might also mean they’re more willing to let him go.”
Martin Odegaard shares new injury update
Calafiori is not the only Arsenal regular to suffer an injury in recent weeks, after Martin Odegaard missed the Wigan clash after picking up a knock against Brentford.
Eberechi Eze was called upon to start ahead of the captain in the FA Cup clash and provided two assists in what was an impressive display at the Emirates.
The good news for Arsenal came as Odegaard confirmed the injury is not as bad as many will have feared, but a more accurate timeframe has not been disclosed.
The midfielder already missed over a month of action with a knee injury near the start of the season, and had two separate issues with his shoulder.
Several injuries hit Odegaard last season, too, and the 27-year-old is yet to return to the extraordinary level he showed in the 22-23 and 23-24 seasons.
For more Arsenal news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.