Back-to-back Europa League runners-up Fiorentina are reportedly contemplating an audacious move for Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the Swedish star has emerged as a concrete option for La Viola to address defensive shortcomings following Nikola Milenkovic’s exit.
Milenkovic had been a defensive stalwart in Tuscany for seven years before leaving Fiorentina for Nottingham Forest this summer. Raffaele Palladino’s side earned a handsome £12 million transfer fee from the 26-year-old’s switch to the Premier League. However, they’ve yet to reinvest that money in a new center-back.
Frankly, they’ve been busy with other deals. Albert Gudmundsson became the new Fiorentina player on Friday. Before him, Andrea Colpani, Moise Kean, and David de Gea joined the club. The latter shared the dressing room with Lindelof at Old Trafford and could convince his ex-teammate to follow him to Florence.
De Gea could be an influential factor in persuading the 30-year-old to swap Manchester United for Fiorentina. Lindelof is close to ending his seven-year association with the Red Devils after tumbling down the pecking order at the Theatre of Dreams. Matthijs de Ligt’s arrival from Bayern Munich earlier this week was the hammer blow.
With his contract running out in less than 12 months, Lindelof is open to leaving Manchester United. Aware of the situation, Fiorentina are ready to pounce. Yet, they must understand the financial aspects of the deal first.
Lindelof’s £2.6m-per-year wages shouldn’t blow Fiorentina out of the water, though they’d likely push for a discount in potential negotiations with Manchester United.
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