Real Madrid transfer news: ‘Contact’ made with ‘very important’ Arsenal star as Jose Mourinho rebuild continues

Real Madrid are reportedly interested in signing Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori in the summer transfer window.

After enduring back-to-back trophyless seasons, the Spanish giants are plotting significant changes to their first-team squad and are expected to appoint Jose Mourinho as their new manager.

Long-serving Los Blancos president Florentino Perez recently launched his re-election campaign, and should he gain a majority vote on Sunday, he intends to bring Mourinho back to the Bernabeu following the departure of interim coach Alvaro Arbeloa.

Mourinho is said to have already approved two defensive signings at Real Madrid in the form of Ibrahima Konate and Denzel Dumfries.

Konate will become a free agent when his Liverpool contract expires and he is set to be unveiled as a new Los Blancos player this week, while Dumfries has reportedly completed a medical ahead of a £17.3m move to Madrid from Inter Milan.

Real Madrid consider Calafiori an ‘interesting option’ in summer market

Real Madrid’s pursuit of defenders is showing no signs of slowing down, though, as journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that Arsenal star Calafiori is attracting interest from the La Liga giants.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano has said that Real Madrid are exploring the market for a defender who can help as a centre-back and left-back, and Calafiori fits that profile.

The Italy international is viewed as an ‘interesting option’ by Los Blancos, who ‘made contact with those close to Calafiori a few weeks ago’ and acquired information on the 24-year-old.

Negotiations with Arsenal could prove challenging, though, as the Gunners value Calafiori as a ‘very important player’ as part of Mikel Arteta’s project.

Could Arsenal’s Calafiori reunite with Mourinho at Real Madrid?

After one impressive season with Serie A side Bologna, Calafoiri joined Arsenal for a reported £33.6m in the summer of 2024 and has since played 65 times in all competition for the Gunners.

The 6ft 2in defender made 26 appearances in the 2025-26 Premier League season as Arsenal celebrated their first top-flight title in 22 years, before suffering defeat in the Champions League final.

Calafoiri began his career with Roma and was at the club when Mourinho was in charge of the Italian giants, playing nine times in the senior team before he was sold to Swiss side Basel for just £1.5m in 2022.

As things stand, there have been no suggestions that Calafoiri is looking to leave Arsenal any time soon, and he is under contract at the Emirates Stadium until June 2029.