It’s not much of a surprise following a fortnight’s worth of reporting but Viery’s transfer from Grêmio to Fiorentina is official. The Brazilian has passed his medical tests and signed a contract (I can’t find anyone reporting the salary yet) running through 2031 with the Imortal Tricolor receiving a €15 million fee for the 21-year-old and the potential for another €2 million in bonus payments, per Nicolò Schira.
I won’t rehash the article I wrote just a few days ago in which I described my thoughts
on Viery Fernandes Santos Lopes as a player but my assumption is that he’ll slot in next to Pietro Comuzzo in the heart of Fabio Grosso’s defense. That’s a pairing that’s dripping with talent but also one that’s very young and will probably make some mistakes. Fortunately for them, a few mistakes are something a rebuilding Fiorentina can afford so long as they’re part of individual and team-wide development.
This is the first domino in the Viola defense. Marin Pongračić is in the World Cup shop window as a starter for Croatia; even if his performances remain familiarly uneven, he’ll garner same €15 million he cost back in 2024 and could increase his value with a strong showing. Luca Ranieri’s future is murkier. Management will want Viery to win the starting job and if Ranieri can accept a role as a backup/mentor, Fabio Paratici might keep him around. Otherwise, the ex-captain will move on as well, which will in turn require the addition of another veteran in the mercato.
Regardless, it’s good to see Paratici getting his work done early so that Viery has as much time as possible to get settled in. It’s important to fold new signings into the squad as quickly as possible for both social and tactical reasons so the more guys the DS can get through the door before the preseason camp begins, the happier Grosso will be. I don’t think Viery will be an era-defining player but he’s a promising defender for today and tomorrow. Paratici is up and running.
Bem-vindo, Viery, e boa sorte.
