The ultra-reliable Niccolò Ceccarini has added his voice to the chorus reporting that Fiorentina won’t sell Moise Kean unless it’s for silly money, which I take to be in excess of €50 million. That means Como and the other supposed suitors are probably out and the Moose will get another year in Florence. That means Fabio Paratici’s primary focus at this point of the mercato has narrowed: it’s time for him to figure out what type of wingers he needs to bring in to amplify Kean’s impact on the pitch.
At his best, Kean is the most explosive striker in Italy, as he demonstrated 2 years ago. His unholy combination of sheer pace and physical strength combine with a relentless desire to get in behind the defense to make him a centerback’s nightmare. At his best, he’s also solid in the air and capable of the type of outrageous finishing that got people burned for witchcraft in centuries past. He’s not a perfect center forward—his link-up play isn’t good and his pressing is sporadic—but he’s so overwhelming as a goal threat and play finisher that he’s more than worth being carried out of possession.
The way Raffaele Palladino coaxed a career year out of Kean was fairly simple: he played a deep defense that encouraged opponents forward, leaving space for his superstar to attack. He also had a variety of players—Yacine Adli, Nicolò Fagioli, Rolando Mandragora—who excelled at finding that killer pass over the top. While Fagioli and Mandragora remain on the roster for now, Grosso’s likely to lean more on new signings Arthur Atta and Christ Inao Oulaï, along with Cher Ndour. That latter trio is excellent physically but lacks the distribution to reliably release Kean over the top.
I expect we’ll see a fair number of channel balls directly from the defenders but Grosso will want other solutions. That’s why I think at least one of the wingers Paratici targets should be more of a playmaker than a goal threat. Given the nature of the rightbacks Fiorentina has added in this window—pacy overlappers who’ll swing in crosses and provide width—I’d expect that creative player to play nominally on the right wing, often wandering infield to find space between the lines; think of Riccardo Saponara for a recent example. At Sassuolo last year, Grosso used Domenico Berardi in this role; the Neroverdi captain’s explosiveness has waned but he’s evolved into more of a distributor who can still chip in with goals.
On the other side, the leftbacks are more defensive-minded. Víctor Valdepeñas has mostly played centerback and with the exit of Robin Gosens, the only other option on that side until Fabiano Parisi is ready (October at the earliest) is Luca Ranieri. To prevent opposing defenses from collapsing into the middle to eliminate Kean’s threat, I’d expect the left winger to be a quick, dribbly player who holds the width before cutting inside. Grosso had the excellent Armand Laurienté for the job last year. I wouldn’t mind seeing a more direct player than the Frenchman but maybe Atta and Ndour’s box-crashing ability will get runners into the penalty area instead.
The upcoming deal for Franco Mastantuono looks like the right winger sorted. The teenage Argentine is good physically but it’s his passing vision and technical ability that persuaded Real Madrid to pay €45 million for him last summer and make him the club’s youngest-ever Champions League starter. While his arrival will probably be a dry loan and won’t provide any long-term solution, he could provide Kean with a steady diet of through balls to chase. Relying on an 18-year-old through an entire Serie A season may be unwise, though, so Paratici needs to find a capable backup. Maybe that’s Albert Guðmundsson. I doubt it.
That means Fiorentina needs to add at least 2 more wingers besides Mastantuono. If Guðmundsson’s expected departure occurs, that number will jump to 3. This isn’t FIFA. It’s not just a matter of finding a good fit and plugging him into the lineup. The technical, tactical, and physical attributes are crucial. With the defense and midfield, the centenary Viola are developing a clear identity. Signing the wrong wingers would muddle that identity and undo all the progress Paratici’s made this summer.
