OFFICIAL: Kevin Agudelo joins Spezia

Kevin Agudelo remains one of the more mysterious players Fiorentina have signed in recent memory. While he’s not quite the cipher that Octavio or Hernán Toledo presented, his departure just half a season into what was meant to be an 18-month loan to the Viola leaves you with a feeling of confusion, yes, but also unfulfilled potential.

The 21-year-old had looked very promising but rather raw at Genoa through the first half of last year, prompting Daniele Pradè to swoop in at the very last moment and sign him on loan. The terms of that deal are the key here: the move would become mandatory should Agudelo reach a certain number of appearances.

It started well enough for him with a 1-minute cameo against Juventus, the first game he was eligible for. Then he vanished, banished to the bench by Giuseppe Iachini despite the obvious lack of bodies in midfield, especially after the restart forced the club into two games a week. With Rachid Ghezzal preferred over him and even an injury to Marco Benassi affording him no room, the message was clear. He did manage 2 more appearances (7 meaningless minutes against Lecce and a start in the dead rubber against SPAL to close the season) and showed some talent,

Given the midfield revolution we’ve seen in Florence, though, that wasn’t enough. Adding Sofyan Amrabat and Borja Valero to the core of Gaetano Castrovilli, Erick Pulgar, and Alfred Duncan meant that there was absolutely no space for Agudelo despite the flashes he showed in his limited time.

Genoa have instead sent him on loan to newly-promoted La Spezia, where he should immediately earn a significant role in Vincenzo Italiano’s 4-3-3. You can’t do anything but wish him success, as he looked like a real player in his limited chances this year. He should carve out a good career in Italy or anywhere else he wants, at least. It’s a shame that the timing didn’t work out for him with Fiorentina, but he definitely isn’t Octavio (currently with Beroe Stara Zagora in Bulgaria) or Toledo (Deportivo Maldonado just got promoted to the Argentine first division).