Juventus, Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, and Tottenham all took steps forward for Riccardo Calafiori, but none of them were able to fight off Arsenal.
The 22-year-old has since agreed deal with the Gunners, with final papers works keeping his official announcement.
Tuttosport revealed how Arsenal had to beat out serious competition from teams across Europe to secure Calafiori from Bologna.
Juventus were reportedly the most serious suitors in Italy, while others came from abroad for the defender.
However, the London side are only a step away from signing the Italian international.
They have agreed to pay a fixed €40m plus €5m in add-ons and a future resale clause, higher than the valuation of some of the interested clubs.
The player, on his part, also showed keen interest to join Mikel Arteta’s side, agreeing to their personal terms.
At Bologna, Calafiori was outstanding, shinning under Thiago Motta last season.
He played a crucial role in their historic charge of the Champions League. He also impressed for Italy at the recently concluded Euro 2024 Championship.
