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.”