Arsenal could be about to make huge signing as fans track private flight to the UK

Arsenal look set to make their first major summer signing.

Arsenal fans believe their club is on the verge of completing a major summer signing after tracking an inbound flight to the UK.

Last season Arsenal finished as runners-up to Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title for the second consecutive campaign. But despite that disappointment, Mikel Arteta’s side are expected to be among the challengers once again in the 2024/25 season.

They’ve had a relatively quiet start to the summer transfer window, only signing goalkeeper David Raya on a permanent deal from Brentford as expected after his successful loan spell at the Emirates last season.

But the Gunners could be about to complete another deal to bolster Arteta’s options.

Arsenal have reportedly agreed to sign Italy international Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna in a deal worth around €50m (£42.2m).

Calafiori, who can play in both central defence and at left-back, is set to sign a five-year deal at the Emirates.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported on Friday morning that Calafiori would travel to the UK that afternoon to complete his move.

“Understand Riccardo Calafiori’s travel from Italy to London is being planned for today,” tweeted Romano.

“He’s expected to fly for first part of medical tests in London then time to join Arteta and his squad in the US.”

Arsenal fans believe they’ve worked out which flight Calafiori is on and are tracking it to the UK.

One X user shared an image of a private plane with the registration number T7-VAS, which is scheduled to set off from Catania at 2pm local time and land at Luton Airport at 4.08pm UK time.

“Found Calafiori’s flight,” the commented alongside an image of the flight details.

However, it is unlikely that Calafiori would be travelling from Catania airport, which is located on the island of Sicily in the far south of Italy – far from Bologna in the northern Emilia-Romagna region.

Arteta was asked about Arsenal’s bid to sign Calafiori on Thursday and to provide further details about the transfer but the Spaniard had little to say.

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“There is no update,” he said.

“As soon as we have something to say, we will be the first one to say. You know I don’t like talking about external players, but this is the situation at the moment.”

Arteta was speaking after Arsenal beat Bournemouth on penalties in their opening pre-season friendly, with the match ending 1-1.

The Gunners continue their pre-season tour of the United States with another warm-up match against Manchester United in the early hours of Sunday morning.

They have further friendlies against Liverpool, Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon to come before they take on Wolves in their opening Premier League game on August 17.