Riccardo Calafiori hints at Roma return amid Arsenal uncertainty

Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has spoken openly about a return to Roma amid his recent struggle for consistent starts under Mikel Arteta.

The Italian international, who joined the Gunners in a high-profile move from Bologna last summer, admitted that he feels he has “unfinished business” in the Italian capital.

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Riccardo Calafiori hints at Arsenal exit

Speaking on Alessandro Cattelan’s Supernova podcast (quoted by CalcioMercato), the 23-year-old was candid about his emotional attachment to his boyhood club.

Calafiori rose through the ranks at Roma but saw his time there cut short following a series of loans and a permanent move to Basel in 2022.

He said: “I’d like to return to Roma sometime. Obviously, it’s not like we can plan our careers now, but yes, I guess.

“Also because I left it half-done; it all started very well: goals, I also had the chance to play a little more. Then for various reasons I first went on loan and then they sold me.”

Calafiori has fallen down the pecking order for Arsenal

The admission comes at a sensitive time for Calafiori at the Emirates.

Despite an ‘exceptional‘ start to the 2025/26 campaign, where he showcased his versatility in Arteta’s inverted system, the defender has recently found himself on the periphery of the starting XI.

The arrival of Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen has increased competition for the left-sided defensive spots.

Additionally, a series of fitness setbacks, including a back injury in February, have disrupted Calafiori’s rhythm.

While he has managed 17 starts in the Premier League this season, he has been an unused substitute in recent high-profile matches against Manchester United and Tottenham.

With Arsenal currently leading the title race by five points, Arteta has favored the defensive solidity of Gabriel and William Saliba, often utilising Jurrien Timber or Hincapie in the hybrid roles Calafiori was initially signed to occupy.

With Arsenal looking to make Hincapie’s loan move permanent, the Italian defender could be on his way out in the summer.