AC Milan prepares to trade former Chelsea player for £35million

AC Milan can play player exchanges with Arsenal.

Arsenal is reportedly willing to sell Ricardo Calafiori this summer, while AC Milan is preparing to sell one of two centre-backs in a player plus cash manner.

The 21-year-old defender moved from Bologna to Arsenal last year for as much as 45 million euros, but he suffered a tough strait in his first season in England. A series of injuries, including knee injuries, have made him play in all competitions only more than 1,400 minutes.

Although Calafiori has shown great strength, Arsenal's willingness to listen to the offer has attracted the interest of Italian fans. According to MilanLive, AC Milan is exploring ways to bring the Italian international back to Serie A and may consider offsetting the asking price through player exchanges and other means.

Argent said that Carafiori is estimated at about €35 million and is valued very much on Milan's two current centre-backs, Ficcayo Tomori and Malik Tio.

Tomori was famous in North London during his time at Chelsea and was still highly respected in England. The 27-year-old has experience in the Premier League and Champions League, and can fill the valuable local players in Arteta's team.

Meanwhile, Teo is a burly 23-year-old with Bundesliga and Serie A ancestry, and he has also attracted the interest of Bayern Munich and Leverkusen.

Despite limited playing time, Calafiori is sometimes impressed with his calm possession and ability to dribble from the back. Although he is only 22 years old, he already has the qualities of a modern point guard. Arsenal still believes that as long as he is given time and continuous play, he still has the potential to become a long-term choice for the team.

But for the Gunners, getting a more experienced centre-back, especially one familiar with the requirements of English football, might make the deal more attractive.

Tomori, in particular, can immediately bring the team depth and compete with William Saliba and Gabriel, and increase the flexibility of defensive rotation. Calafiori still has a high reputation in Italy, which is in line with Milan's philosophy of creating a more Italian character in the lineup. The report also pointed out that the Ross and Blacks are targeting national team players such as Samuelle Richie and Ricardo Osolini, while Calafiori is seen as the cornerstone of the team's strengthening of the defense.

Juventus is also paying attention to this matter, but has not yet formally contacted it. By contrast, AC Milan is said to be actively negotiating transfers, and introducing a player Arsenal is already optimistic about may give them a negotiating advantage.

A return to Serie A after a year of injury plagued in London may be good for all parties, and a high-profile transfer could lead to one of the most interesting deals this summer.