With Italian Serie A fans knowing that the Scudetto goes to Inter Milan for the 2023/24 campaign following their Derby della Madonnina victory over rivals AC Milan, it looks like the fellow San Siro side are determined to change their own fortunes in 2024/25 and are continuing to challenge Juventus for Bologna talent Riccardo Calafiori.
The 21 year old Italian Under 21 international has had a good debut year at Bologna following on from his arrival from Basel last summer, and his performances have already been catching the eye of sides looking to improve their central defensive options.
Most in the wider world of football do expect him to move on at the end of this campaign as the assumption is someone will make an offer that Bologna cannot refuse, but their fans will certainly be hoping that this does not happen as he would be a big loss for them.
Based on most of the reports doing the rounds this weekend, given the fact that Juventus have been tracking him for longer, it is speculated that they continue to be in pole position for his potential services, but the Rossoneri are not yet prepared to abandon their own chase of him.
Bologna will have hopes of keeping him given his existing contract and the fact that their own performances this year give massive room for future hope, and it should not be forgotten that they are currently sat in fourth place in the Serie A table, and although AS Roma have a game in hand over them, they are five points ahead right now and they have nine points left to fight for.
If they have a possible European adventure of their own on the cards for the 2024/25 campaign, that further uptick in finances could make a telling difference to the transfer decisions that they may be forced to make over the summer, and that in itself could be the driver on whether or not Calafiori leaves.
Even if he does stay at the Renato Dall’Ara for the coming campaign, many fans will feel that given his talent and his clear potential for further improvement in the future years ahead, that it is simply just a matter of time before he does eventually move on to either a far bigger Italian side, or one of the many other teams in European leagues who more regularly challenge for success and the top honours.
We shall what the next couple of months bring.
