Serie A Preview: Fiorentina

Claudio Prandelli is not a man known for his angry outbursts so when he did go public with his dismay over the potential transfer of Adrian Mutu to Roma, it was enough for the club’s owners to re-think and pull back.

It was understandable, too. Slowly and patiently, Fiorentina have built a squad capable of really challenging for the title. Not simply a good starting eleven but a real and proper squad of twenty five players each and every one capable of slotting easily into a side going for the top prize. And they’ve done so without going overboard with their spending.

Yet every side has its stars around whom play is centred and to whom they turn when things are getting tough. For Fiorentina, Mutu is one such player so selling him would have sent them out of balance.

The prospect was particularly galling for Prandelli having finally managed to re-partner Mutu with Alberto Gilardino who he had managed with so much success at Parma. Fiorentina’s determination to get Gilardino, who Milan were so determined to get rid of, underlines their manager’s belief in his abilities and rightly so given what he had managed to do in a struggling side.

It was still a somewhat surprising transfer, certainly compared to the arrivals of Jaun Vargas and Luciano Zauri who will give their defence much more power whilst there is much hope around the arrival of Felipe Melo from Almeria even though Fiorentina have also brought in Almiron just in case the Brazilian’s move doesn’t work out.

Key Player: Adrian Mutu had a frustrating summer with Romania in the European Championships and his eagerness to join Roma – perhaps to raise some cash with which to pay off Chelsea – wasn’t much appreciated by the fans. Yet they realize that he remains their most talented and experienced player against whom holding a grudge would be completely futile.

Best Bit of Business: The arrival of Stevan Jovetic was heralded by Fiorentina as a major signing even though he is just eighteen years old and will have to wait a while till he gets a chance to play. Having seen the player in action, however, it is easy to comprehend their enthusiasm such is his talent. He’s ready to play in the Serie A and, given Fiorentina’s track record in bringing players through, will undoubtedly go on to be a star.

Keep an eye out for…Zdravko Kuzmanovic. An unheralded player when he signed for Fiorentina last summer, the Swiss born Serb went on to have an excellent debut season for the Viola. Hard working but with great ability on the ball, he is the ideal player for Prandelli’s system with the plus point of having the potential to get much better given his age of just twenty.

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