Riccardo Calafiori has produced a few magic moments since joining Arsenal.

The Italy international became a Gunner last summer after signing for the club from Bologna. He has had injury issues this campaign, but some of his performances have been great.

Calafiori has mostly been used as a left-back by Mikel Arteta, but the 22-year-old is given the freedom to invert and go on adventurous runs forward.

That has already paid dividends this season, but the ambitious Calafiori wants to learn more.

Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori says he wants to play as a midfielder

Calafiori has sparked a lot of debate over the last few months.

The Italian’s defending is still not up to the mark at left-back, but his attacking runs make him such a difficult player to play against.

Against PSV Eindhoven, Calafiori found himself in a striker’s position and scored a really good goal – even Ian Wright would’ve been proud of his movement and finish.

That led to many fans urging Arteta to give Calafiori a chance as a striker, but the former Bologna man’s desire is to play in the middle of the park.

The 22-year-old claimed in an interview on the Rivista Undici e Cronache magazine that he already plays two roles well – left-back and centre-back – but he now wants to learn how to become a midfielder at Arsenal.

He said: “Thiago Motta and then Spalletti and Arteta changed me a lot, in terms of watching the game, of spaces to occupy, of everything.

“But I also think that there are many defenders with better characteristics than mine, for this I work so much off the pitch and maybe this makes the difference. But there are many things I still can’t do. Among these is the desire to learn to play in as many roles as possible.

“For now, I feel I can do two, I would also like to learn a third: the midfielder. It’s a role that has always fascinated me.”

That would leave a big gap to fill in the middle of the park, and the Gunners will surely sign at least one new player in that role.

The teenager starting in the middle of the park with Calafiori at left-back will cause opponents all sorts of problems because the two players can interchange positions whenever they want.

Arteta should seriously consider this partnership next season.