Arsenal fans told: Arteta’s £42m signing is playing 'like a man possessed'

Ricardo Calafiori has been nothing short of sensational for Arsenal this season.

For a player who looked to have slipped down the pecking order, what a comeback he’s staged.

Signed in the summer of 2024 for £42 million following a standout campaign with Bologna and eye-catching displays for Italy at the European Championships, expectations were sky-high.

Initially seen as the answer to Arsenal’s left-back conundrum, Calafiori didn’t immediately live up to the billing. Injury after injury kept him sidelined for much of the 2024-25 season, spending more time on the treatment table than on the pitch.

To some, he looked like another expensive flop. The breakout form of Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back only fuelled those doubts. Suddenly, questions swirled: why had Arsenal bothered with Calafiori at all?

Fast forward to the 2025-26 season, and after ten games, the Italian has emphatically justified the club’s investment. Arteta has made a bold call, installing him as first-choice left-back despite Lewis-Skelly’s strong claims, and Calafiori has repaid that faith in full.

A free role, a tactical shift

Thanks to his technical brilliance, Calafiori has earned a free role in Arteta’s system. He’s become the Spaniard’s secret weapon, roaming into central areas, driving through the middle, threading line-breaking passes, and, as seen when the Gunners beat West Ham 2-0, popping up at right central midfield to unleash screamers from the edge of the box.

This tactical freedom injects chaos into opposition setups, his greatest strength. It’s proving vital in dismantling low blocks and even mid blocks.

Calafiori’s form has been so compelling that Danny Murphy believes Lewis-Skelly may struggle for minutes. Speaking on talkSPORT, Murphy said: “Lewis-Skelly, who was arguably one of the best left-backs in the league last year, can’t get a kick, because Calafiori is playing like a man possessed.”