Many open fronts, no certainties. But something is moving. Zaniolo said yes, he wants to return to Florence. He had left in controversy when he was a boy in the youth sector because he had little space. He hadn’t physically exploded yet, the society of the time didn’t go to war to keep him. It was 2016 and the son of art first joined Entella and then joined a very strong Inter Primavera. In hindsight, Fiorentina’s mistake was certainly a mistake. However, it is a mistake that all nurseries fall into sooner or later. Young people get lost, but they also tear themselves away from the competition, like Kayode for example on which the Juventus he passed over guiltily. But we’ll talk about the full-back later.
The past is now archived, Zaniolo he has a great desire to return to Italy, the idea-Florentine it intrigues him and that’s saying something. It must be agreed with Galatasaray. Two hypotheses on the table: an exchange with Amrabat which boasts admirers on the Bosphorus or the transfer of the Dutch-Moroccan to Manchester, with a ransom of around 20 million (which however could be negotiable) and with that money to finance the deal Zaniolo. The feeling is that in the end the former Giallorossi player will put the purple shirt back on his skin.
The player knows himself well: among his physical and technical qualities, he can be an attacking midfielder or a winger, with a good international experience behind him. Among the limitations are past injuries, from which he seems to have recovered perfectly, and a lack of scoring ability, a real Achilles’ heel for someone who plays so advanced. This season in 40 overall matches in England only 3 goals and in his career the best year was in Rome in 19/20 when in 26 matches he scored 6 goals. If he had been fit he would have been one of Spalletti’s starters at the European Championshipbut 29 days before the start of the continental competition he broke his foot in the last championship match against Liverpool (he was on loan at Aston Villa).
Zaniolo represents, net of some unknowns, a good operation for Fiorentina, while the pressing of Tottenham on Kayode it can turn into a nightmare for Viola supporters. The English are serious and have significant economic possibilities. They started from 40 million and for now Fiorentina has resisted, but if they were to go further the picture could change suddenly. In an unwritten but still valid football code, it is forbidden to sell a youth sector product who is as young (born in 2004) as claimed. We know, however, that excellent transfers are part of the DNA of Commisso’s club: Chiesa and Vlahovic appeal in this regard. And above all, the considerations of the Viola president in the press conference of 10 June 2023 still ring in our ears, just 3 days after Prague’s defeat in the Conference League final against West Ham, when he explained with ill-concealed pride the goodness of the Chiesa-Vlahovic deal , “sold for 135 million”, compared even to the pair’s yield Jovic-Cabral (“they scored 15 goals between them, ours 28”), he exclaimed: “If I could make these changes on the transfer market I would make them every day…”. In short, an ode to heavy and constant capital gain. And a warning: everyone is on the market, all they need is a golden income. Here, taking up that concept, the offensive of Tottenham it could become very dangerous for the Viola fans and blessed, however, for the coffers of Commisso’s club. Very distant points of view…
Attacking chapter, the most delicate for the Viola managers. They are desperately looking for a center forward capable of remedying the departure of Vlahovic after two and a half years who, if on an economic level it was a “masterpiece” (always quoted by the Viola president), on an exquisitely technical level it was a Caporetto. Depay’s name has ignited the fans’ testosterone, the Dutchman doesn’t criticize himself even if he scored few goals last season. In total 5 in 23 matches in La Liga with Atletico Madrid, then 1 in the Champions League in 3 appearances and finally 3 in 5 matches in the Copa del Rey. He is not a pure central striker but he also knows how to play that role: his talent, it is clear. At 30 years old he can still give a lot. He is free, but the salary is very high (4 million) and this could become an obstacle. Among other things, the input of the purple owners is to lower the wage bill. Otherwise Giovanni Simeone, Napoli striker who left Fiorentina in 2019 when Commisso arrived. It would be a sensational return: Cholito is possible, but not in numbers. Napoli is asking for 15 million, Florence would like to spend less. Giovanni has found a wife in the wonderful Florentine area and the destination should be appreciated. Meanwhile, Retegui and Lucca remain on the purple radar. The curious aspect is that Conte for Napoli, as a reserve role, if Simeone really leaves, is looking for Lucca or Pinamonti, Fiorentina’s objectives…
In midfield the Viola club has a lot to do because at least two players are missing, given the haemorrhage created after several departures. The first on the list is Aster VranckxBelgian international, former Milan, now at Wolfsburg: he costs around 7 million and the quality-price ratio seems like the ideal prototype for Fiorentina’s needs. While for now it is out of budget Brescianini of the Frosinone which is worth 12 million. The figure is also high because half of the proceeds will go to Milan.
Fiorentina must find reinforcements in defense and in goal where Terracciano needs a capable alternative. Without forgetting the wing players. There is a lot of work to do and we will have to start somewhere.
