Capezzi will join Crotone on loan for a year

The future of Leonardo Capezzi as a Fiorentina player has finally reached its latest crossroads, after a summer shrouded in uncertainty. The talented Tuscan midfielder - once named by David Pizarro himself as the Pek's heir to bossing the Viola midfield - will spend another summer on loan in Serie B, this time at Crotone.

Crotone was where Federico Bernardeschi first broke through as a professional two seasons ago, and the Viola will be hopeful that another one of the local crown jewels of their Primavera will grow in the southern Italian sun. Gianluca Di Marzio has the exclusive (if not great) picture of Leo training with the Squali ahead of the announcement of the loan, expected for later today.

Fiorentina own the "right" to get the player back next summer, and before sending Leo south they extended his contract for just one year through 2017, hopeful that next summer Capezzi will have earned a professional multiple year deal for the club he has grown up with.

This loan will be much like the one Capezzi had last season, when he was one of the few bright spots for now-relegated Varese. This season won't be much easier, as Crotone suffered the loss of top-scorer Bernardeschi last year, going from the promotion playoffs to finishing just above the relegation zone. Let's hope that Capezzi can raise Crotone again before returning to Fiorentina ready for some first team action.