Beaten Europa Conference League finalists Fiorentina have emerged as genuine candidates to sign Salernitana talisman Boulaye Dia. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the 26-year-old has caught the eye of the La Viola hierarchy following a sublime debut season in Serie A.
Despite Salernitana’s season-long struggle in the lower reaches, the 2022/23 campaign was an utter success for Dia. With 16 goals and six assists from 33 league outings, the Senegalese forward finished as the third most-prolific player in Serie A last season. Only Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Inter’s Lautaro Martinez bettered his tally.
His phenomenal exploits haven’t gone unnoticed. Fiorentina would like to make Dia their new attacking leader after Luka Jovic failed to meet Vincenzo Italiano’s high standards. Arthur Cabral had a decent season and was particularly prolific in Europe, but La Viola are in the market for a more consistent option.
Dia joined Salernitana on a season-long loan from Villarreal last summer. Given his outstanding showings at the Stadio Arechi, Paulo Sousa’s men are hellbent on retaining his services beyond the summer. They may be able to do just that, considering Fiorentina have no intention of matching the striker’s €25 million release clause.
But the Florence outfit won’t give up their pursuit of Dia regardless of their stance on his price tag. Though they’ve yet to launch a formal bid, they rely on their excellent relationship with Salernitana to get the job done. Yet business is business, and they may have to dig deep into their pockets to convince the Salerno side to sanction the move.
Unfortunately, after missing out on Europa Conference League glory to West Ham, Fiorentina cannot incentivize Dia with the prospect of European football. That could derail their hopes of getting the deal over the line, especially with several clubs from Italy and abroad monitoring the forward’s situation.
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