Italiano Insists on Having Gudmundsson in Fiorentina at Almost Any Cost

Fiorentina’s interest in Icelandic player Gudmundsson from Genoa has been rumoured to be more than mere conjecture, with negotiations reaching fever pitch. Genoa’s asking price reportedly stands at a hefty 30 million, while Fiorentina’s offer falls short of Genoa’s expectations. The talks have involved proposals of bonus inclusions, higher bids, and cutbacks.

Fiorentina’s coach, Vincenzo Italiano, is said to have a keen interest in bringing Gudmundsson onboard, bolstering his squad with what has been a standout performer this season. When asked about his intentions, Italiano outlined a few technical reasons.

“There’s not a player in Italy who can score as a striker, consistently find themselves in the right positions and also create plays as Gudmundsson does,” Italiano praised the Icelandic talent, voicing his first reason.

He proceeded to note Fiorentina’s existing lineup, “We have good outside shooters, although they’re more successful in Europe than in Italy.” Italiano highlighted that with only a single goal in Serie A so far, Gudmundsson could be a valuable addition, having already scored twice under such circumstances. “For an offensive-minded team like Viola, his potential is likely to be further magnified.”

Lastly, Italiano pointed out: “He knows how to take penalties”. Despite seeming like a trivial point, the repercussions of recent penalty blunders – notably from Bonaventura against Sassuolo, Ikoné in Supercoppa, and Gonzalez against Inter – have been costly. This makes Gudmundsson, with his flawless 2 out of 2 penalty record, a valuable asset. Especially so for a team like Fiorentina that could potentially face penalty shootouts in both the Coppa Italia and the Conference League.