OFFICIAL: Fiorentina welcome back Gollini

After months of questions about the future of the goalkeeper position, Fiorentina have provided a clear answer, signing Atalanta’s Pierluigi Gollini. The Bologna-born 27-year-old will join for an initial fee of €500,000, with another €7.5 million due at the end of the season to make the move permanent. While we haven’t heard anything about his wage, he was earning €800,000 with la Dea at last check and would likely rake in about a million for his new deal.

After spending a couple seasons in the Viola academy, a 17-year-old Gollini moved to Manchester United a decade ago, bouncing through stops at Aston Villa and Hellas Verona before finding his footing in Bergamo. After displacing Etrit Berisha as the starter in 2018, he turned in an impressive couple of seasons, prompting Tottenham Hotspur to swoop in for him last season. Although things didn’t pan out for him there (10 starts in cup competitions and none in the league), his reputation remained high, and Atalanta were quick to cash in on him, having already signed Juan Musso.

Despite possessing the prototypical size and lankiness of a traditional goalkeeper, Gollo’s well-known for his comfort in possession and his expertise sweeping up behind a high line, which makes him a perfect stylistic fit for Vincenzo Italiano’s pressing game. While he may not be the shot stopper that Saint Bartholomew of the Nets is, he should seamlessly slot into the XI ahead of the outbound Pole, leaving World’s Funnest Dad Pietro Terracciano as the backup and cup option.

Gollini’s not just a robotic goalkeeper, though. He’s always well-dressed and pushing new looks, but that’s far from what makes him unique. That would be the existence of Gollorius, the name under which he released the 2018 track Rapper coi Guanti (and yes, that translates to Rapper with Gloves), and donated all proceeds to charity. Bask in his magnificence.

Welcome, Pierluigi! And please, please, please drop a follow up track in front of the Curva Fiesole.