Fiorentina reject €20 million Veretout bid from Marseille

Pretty much everyone anticipated that Jordan Veretout, fresh off a revelatory first season at Fiorentina, would be the subject of some big bids, despite the unsavory finish to his year. According to the Corriere dello Sport, the first one has arrived: €20 million from Marseille. Pantaleo Corvino, however, has rejected it outright.

The Frenchman cost just €7 million from Aston Villa this summer and swiftly established himself as a starter for Stefano Pioli, starting every match on the season except for the 2 for which he was suspended. His 10 goals and 2 assists, intelligent passing, tireless running, and adequate defensive work in the middle marked him as the sort of versatile box-to-box type that Marseille DS (and most teams, frankly) crave.

Along with the news that the club has rejected several offers for Federico Chiesa, this instance of Corvino refusing to sell another star will have fans feeling cautiously optimistic that the core of the team (minus Milan Badelj and Marco Sportiello) will remain intact for at least another season, allowing them more time to adjust, sharpen their interplay, and ultimately challenge for a higher spot in the table. Pantaleo, though, could simply be waiting until the window officially opens, biding his time until someone comes in with a monster offer. That’s the thing about Corvino: you never know which way he’s going to jump.