Fiorentina cancel plans to sign Austrian midfielder after “unpleasant talks” with his player’s father
Fiorentina have decided against signing Austrian midfielder Florian Grillitsch after talks with his father took an unpleasant turn.
The 26-year-old became a free agent this summer after wrapping up with Hoffenheim where he’d been since 2017, during a five-season association Grillitsch — who joined from Werder Bremen — made no fewer than 130 league appearances subsequently netting three goals and creating 11 more.
Grillitsch, a 33-time Austrian international, was identified by Serie A outfit Fiorentina as someone who could strengthen Vincenzo Italiano’s options in midfield. In the season just gone La Viola finished seventh in Italy’s top division which meant they secured a Europa Conference League qualification spot.
According to early reports, Fiorentina sporting director Daniele Pradé met with his agent Kristian Bereit with a view to offering a four-year deal. In previous windows Grillitsch had been linked with Milan and Roma, just when a handshake was nearing the plug was pulled with the Italians citing poor behaviour from within Grillitsch’s camp.
“We met with his representatives, we pursued him strongly because he is a player on a free transfer,” Pradé told reporters.
“But we didn’t like his father’s talk and demands. We want to decide who we work with. We are a very desirable club for agents.”
