Fiorentina Close in on Marko Marin

After the Andrea Della Valle press conference on Cuadrado we knew it would only be a matter of time before the real Fiorentina transfer business got fired up, but Daniele Prade and Eduardo Macia are being their unsurprisingly surprising selves by lining up a player no one would have predicted in a move that also says little about Juan Cuadrado's future.

Noted mercato kingpin Gianluca Di Marzio confirmed today rumors among Florentine journalists: Chelsea player Marko Marin is very close to a move to Fiorentina, and will have his medical with us before the end of the week. The German playmaker, notable ex-Werder Bremen, would arrive in Florence on loan with the option to buy set at €5 million.

Marin is an attacking midfielder, happiest with freedom to find space and collect the ball from deep, but most dangerous on the flanks. He spent last year on-loan in Sevilla after injury setbacks and a lack of playing time at Chelsea frustrated his upwards trajectory; now at 25 it is starting to become important that he reestablish himself as a premier player.

Marin fits the profile of Fiorentina's recent prominent transfers, as a talent whose career has been sidetracked but is still hungry to prove himself on a big stage. Similarly, Marin's technical skills, pace, and vision make him the kind of player Vincenzo Montella likes to have on the field, while his ability to cover a wide variety of roles in the attacking third (particularly as a winger in a 4-3-3) make him an attractive option to a team that will play a lot of games this season. At the same time, however, the heavy competition in the roles Marin would likely cover means he will be hard pressed to find playing time if he joins Fiorentina, and his arrival would almost certainly guarantee the loan of Rafal Wolski.

In other words, Marko Marin would be an odd addition to the Fiorentina roster, but a low-cost gamble with a high potential upside. He could be another Anderson or Alessandro Matri; or he could be the next Cuadrado to find his home in Florence. One thing is for sure: the hunt for a central midfielder, as well as a proper terzino, continues. This is just a fun distraction with a really nifty name, and the potential to maybe be more.

Speaking of fun distractions, here's a compilation of some of Marin's better moments to date. I don't usually do this, but I apologize profusely for the music. I recommend muting it and making your own soundtrack, humming loudly, or puncturing your eardrums.*

*I do not actually advise anyone should puncture their eardrums.