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We really thought that Fiorentina would land Rodrigo de Paul this summer until Daniele Pradè squelched the talk at the end of August. It was the second year in a row that saw the Viola linked to a move for the Argentina international, but maybe, maaaaaayyyyybe, this time is for real.
The report comes from Argentine journalist Leo Paradizo, who claims that Fiorentina have tabled a €30 million offer for the Udinese star.
Atención! Tengo una bomba internacional: #Fiorentina ofertó 30 millones de euros por el pase de Rodrigo De Paul. #Udinese aún no respondió. Es probable que se haga. #DePaul #SeleccionArgentina
— Leo Paradizo (@leoparadizo) January 22, 2020
Let’s start with the caveats. The first is the source; Paradizo primarily covers the Superliga, particularly Racing Club, and doesn’t seem to have many contacts in Italy. While it’s believable that he’s in touch with de Paul’s camp—the player got his start at Racing—he left in 2014. That’s a long time.
There’s also the fact that Udinese don’t seem to have any intention to sell him this January, according to GdS. The Zebrette seem set for another season free of relegation drama (albeit with no real chance to even push into the top half of the table), but their attack would completely fall apart without their unquestioned best player, who’s scored or assisted more than a quarter of their goals this season.
There’s also the matter of both AC Milan and Inter Milan sniffing around: the former just met with his agent and the latter have apparently made contact as well. You’d have to think that either could easily outspend the Viola for both fees and salary.
It’s too bad, because de Paul would be a fantastic addition to this Fiorentina team. Capable of playing in midfield or up front, he’s got an eye for the killer pass, the ability to dribble past defenders and makes things happen, and a wicked shot from distance. He’d be a perfect upgrade to Marco Benassi, maybe, or a great fit next to Patrick Cutrone or Dušan Vlahović up top.
While it’s clear that Pradè rates the Argentina international highly (as the Udinese DS, he successfully held onto de Paul when Fiorentina came knocking last summer), this feels more like an effort by de Paul’s agent and/or the Bianconeri to drive the price up. We’d be happy to be wrong, but we’re just not buying it right now.