In a move that comes as no surprise to anyone who’s watched Fiorentina’s preseason, the Viola have reportedly spoken with Cagliari about Roberto Piccoli. The Sardinians value their striker at €25 million, twice what they paid Atalanta for him last summer.
The status of Lucas Beltrán adds another wrinkle to any prospective deal, as the Viola would likely have to sell him before spending more money on a striker. The Argentine is mulling an offer from CSKA Moscow, although the reigning domestic cup champions
don’t have any European competition due to the UEFA sanctions against Russia.
Piccoli, 24, scored 10 goals in 37 Serie A appearances last year, representing a quarter of the Rossoblù scoring output. It was his best season as a professional and included a goal against Fiorentina at the Unipol Domus; given the Viola propensity for signing players who’ve scored against him, he now checks every box.
A big, robust striker with a surprising turn of pace, Piccoli’s a classic number 9, equally capable of getting in behind and battling with centerbacks. He’s strong in the air and relishes the responsibility of leading the line, as evidenced by his 97 shots last year (7th in Serie A). He’s underperformed his xG the past couple seasons so there are some questions about his finishing, but he’s got everything else you could ask for in a center forward.
His fit in Florence is a bit tricky. If Stefano Pioli persists with the tridente, Piccoli would likely replace Edin Džeko and play alongside Moise Kean, moving the formation to more of a 3-4-1-2 with Albert Guðmundsson in the hole. If Pioli goes to a 3-5-2, his fit next to Kean could be trickier, as having 2 poachers up front could lead to difficulties out of possession.
Fiorentina is reportedly working on personal terms with Piccoli, offering a 5-year contract. He already earns in excess of €2 million and would probably get a slight raise. Adding that to Guðmundsson, Džeko, and Kean’s salary once he finishes negotiating his new deal, that would tie up nearly 21% of the club’s salary in just 4 strikers, which is an odd situation.
Nevertheless, it’s clear that the Viola need another body in the attack, and Piccoli would give them an ascending talent with Serie A experience. Given the financial commitments to other strikers, Daniele Pradè will probably try to structure this deal as a loan with an option that becomes an obligation based on performance parameters. Since Cagliari will want the money up front, expect this negotiation to drag on, maybe all the way up to deadline day.
