Following a disastrous start to the 2026/27 campaign that saw Fabio Grosso dismissed after just three matches, Fiorentina have turned back to the man who saved them last season. Paolo Vanoli returned to the Viola bench in early September, tasked once again with rescuing a club that has spent €130 million on a radical squad overhaul yet found itself bottom of Serie A after three straight defeats. The summer rebuild, orchestrated by sporting director Fabio Paratici, brought thirteen new signings with an average age of just 22.7 years — a bold bet on youth and potential that has yet to translate into results. Vanoli, who steered Fiorentina from relegation danger to a 15th-place finish last season, now faces the challenge of integrating a young, talented but unbalanced squad while stabilizing a club in familiar crisis mode.
Technical Leadership & Coaching Profile
Manager: Paolo Vanoli
Vanoli’s return to Fiorentina came just days after Grosso’s dismissal, following a humiliating start that left the Viola rooted to the bottom of the table. The 54-year-old coach had departed at the end of the 2025/26 season after successfully completing a short-term rescue mission, but the club opted to move in a different direction with Grosso. That decision lasted barely a month. Fiorentina’s statement confirming Vanoli’s reappointment expressed gratitude for his willingness to return, and the coach took charge of training immediately.
Vanoli’s second spell has already shown signs of the pragmatic resilience that defined his first. The early results under his stewardship — a victory at Venezia, a Coppa Italia win over Pisa, and a hard-fought draw against Napoli — have been described as “incoraggiante,” offering hope that the season can still be salvaged. The international break has provided Vanoli with a crucial opportunity to work intensively with a reduced squad, conducting double sessions at Viola Park in what amounts to a mini pre-season.
Tactical Philosophy
Vanoli’s Fiorentina 2.0, as it has been dubbed, represents a shift toward greater risk-taking and attacking intent. The coach has embraced a philosophy that prioritizes winning over simply avoiding defeat — a departure from the cautious approach that characterized his earlier tenure. Against Napoli, Vanoli’s side twice hit the woodwork, fell behind, equalized, and then continued pushing for a winner rather than settling for the draw.
This attacking evolution is underpinned by a squad constructed for offensive football. The full-backs — João Mário, Jiménez, and Valdepeñas — are all more comfortable going forward than defending, and the attacking midfield corps possesses “enormous potential”. The challenge, as Vanoli’s early matches have shown, lies in finding the right balance between ambition and defensive solidity. The coach has experimented with deploying Oulai in front of the defence to provide a shield, and may ask his wide forwards to contribute more defensive work.
Preferred Formations
4-3-3 / 3-4-2-1 (Vanoli has shown flexibility, adapting structures based on available personnel).
Strategic Transfer Activity
Fiorentina’s summer window was the most ambitious in recent memory, with Paratici overseeing a €130 million investment across thirteen signings. The strategy was clear: lower the squad’s average age dramatically, acquire players with resale value, and build a team capable of sustained growth rather than short-term fixes. Arthur Atta became the club’s record signing at €25 million (plus 30% of any future sale), arriving from Udinese after an impressive breakthrough season. The defensive rebuild brought Radu Dragusin from Tottenham on loan with a conditional obligation to buy at €18.5 million, while Viery Santos Lopes joined from Grêmio for €15 million as the club’s first summer arrival.
Table A: Summer Major Transfer Influx
| Player | Position | Former Club | Fee Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Atta | Midfielder | Udinese | €25m (+ 30% sell-on) |
| Radu Dragusin | Centre-Back | Tottenham | Loan (€18.5m obligation) |
| Viery Santos Lopes | Centre-Back | Grêmio | €15m |
| Christ Inao Oulai | Midfielder | Trabzonspor | €29m |
| Alex Jiménez | Right-Back | Bournemouth | Loan |
| Marco Brescianini | Midfielder | Atalanta | Loan |
| Franco Mastantuono | Attacking Midfielder | Real Madrid | Loan |
The First-Team Roster
Goalkeepers
David De Gea (#43): The Spanish veteran remains Fiorentina’s undisputed number one, his experience and shot-stopping quality crucial behind a young and evolving defence. His performance against Napoli, producing key saves, underscored his importance.
Luca Lezzerini (#19): The backup goalkeeper provides reliable coverage and familiarity with the club’s environment.
Oliver Christensen (#53): The Danish goalkeeper offers additional depth in the position.
Defenders
Radu Dragusin (#3): The Romanian centre-back, signed from Tottenham after a challenging spell in England, has quickly established himself as a defensive cornerstone. His physical presence and aerial ability were vital in the draw against Napoli, where his partnership with De Gea kept the scoreline respectable.
Viery Santos Lopes (#33): The €15 million signing from Grêmio is a project for the future. The 21-year-old centre-back, who also can play at right-back, models his game on Sergio Ramos and Virgil van Dijk, describing himself as a defender with “strong stamina who uses physical strength and likes to play out from the back”. His development will be carefully managed.
Marin Pongračić (#5): The Croatian centre-back provides additional depth and physicality in the defensive rotation.
Luca Ranieri (#6): The academy graduate remains a reliable squad option, his familiarity with the club’s expectations valuable in a transitional squad.
Dodô (#2): The Brazilian right-back offers pace and attacking thrust, though his defensive positioning remains a concern in Vanoli’s high-risk system.
João Mário (#17): The Portuguese full-back brings experience and tactical intelligence, his versatility across the defensive line useful in a squad still finding its structure.
Alejandro Jiménez (#20): The loan signing from Bournemouth adds competition at right-back. Jiménez made 32 appearances for the Cherries last season, his Premier League experience offering a different profile to Dodô.
Victor Valdepeñas Talavera (#21): The young Spanish full-back, another former Real Madrid academy product, represents the club’s investment in young defensive talent.
Fabiano Parisi (#65): The Italian left-back provides an attacking option on the flank, his crossing and energy suited to Vanoli’s desire for width.
Niccolò Fortini (#29): The young defender continues his development within the first-team environment.
Midfielders
Arthur Atta (#14): The club-record signing from Udinese is the centerpiece of Fiorentina’s midfield rebuild. Described as an “artist” who represents a French-Maghrebi school of technical expression, the 23-year-old possesses the creativity and drive to elevate the team’s attacking play. His six goals and four assists last season for Udinese demonstrated his capacity for end product from midfield.
Christ Inao Oulai (#42): The €29 million arrival from Trabzonspor is a physically imposing midfielder whose versatility impressed at the 2026 World Cup. At just 20 years old, the Ivory Coast international provides the “grit” and ball-winning capacity that Vanoli’s system requires, potentially operating as a shield in front of the defence.
Rolando Mandragora (#8): The reliable Italian midfielder offers stability and experience, his left-footed passing and set-piece delivery valuable assets in a young squad.
Nicolò Fagioli (#44): The former Juventus midfielder appears to be approaching a breakthrough season. Described as a playmaker “who can create something out of nothing,” Fagioli’s technical quality could prove decisive if he maintains fitness and consistency.
Marco Brescianini (#4): The loan signing from Atalanta adds box-to-box energy and tactical flexibility, his late runs into the penalty area offering an additional goal threat.
Giovanni Fabbian (#80): The young midfielder, signed from Bologna, represents another investment in youth. His physical development and technical progression will be monitored closely.
Cher Ndour (#27): The Portuguese midfielder provides depth and a different profile in central areas.
Forwards
Moise Kean (#9): The Italian striker remains the focal point of Fiorentina’s attack and, according to Paratici, “a heritage not just for Fiorentina but for all Italian football”. At 26, Kean is being called upon to deliver consistency at a level he has yet to sustain across a full season. His physical power, ability to act as both a target man and a runner in behind, make him ideally suited to benefiting from the creativity of Atta and Mastantuono. The question mark remains his finishing consistency.
Franco Mastantuono (#30): The loan arrival from Real Madrid is perhaps the most intriguing signing of Fiorentina’s summer. The 18-year-old Argentine, who risked “getting burned by the ever-blazing fire at the Santiago Bernabéu,” arrives in Florence seeking regular minutes and a platform to express his considerable talent. Described alongside Atta as an “artist,” Mastantuono’s left-footed creativity and dribbling ability could provide the spark Fiorentina’s attack has lacked.
Albert Guðmundsson (#11): The Icelandic forward possesses undoubted quality, and Vanoli’s system may finally unlock his best form. His ability to operate across the attacking line offers tactical flexibility.
Roberto Piccoli (#91): The Italian striker provides a physical alternative to Kean, his aerial ability and work rate offering a different dimension. Despite scoring three goals in pre-season friendlies, his future at the club remained uncertain late in the window.
Riccardo Braschi: The young forward has already earned first-team opportunities, his development within the academy system continuing to progress.
Leadership Group & Squad Regulations
Club Captain
The captaincy structure is evolving under Vanoli, with experienced figures like De Gea, Mandragora, and Ranieri expected to provide leadership for a squad that skews remarkably young. The average age of the summer signings — 22.7 — means traditional hierarchies are less established than at more settled clubs.
Homegrown Quota Check
Fiorentina continue to invest in their academy pipeline. Several Primavera players have been training with the first team during the international break, including Brando Mazzeo, Alberto Angeloni, Mario Pietropaolo, Niccolò Turnone, Matko Boskovic, Giuseppe Forte, Sulayman Jallow, and Federico Mataran. The pathway from youth to first team remains open, as demonstrated by recent debuts for players like Luis Balbo and Riccardo Braschi.
Financial & Contractual Health
Financial Balance Overview
The €130 million invested in thirteen signings represents a significant statement of intent from the Commisso ownership, but also a substantial financial commitment that places pressure on achieving results. The squad’s dramatically reduced average age suggests a strategy focused on developing assets with resale value, a model that requires both patience and sporting success to sustain.
Contract Red Alerts
Paratici has publicly reaffirmed the club’s intention to retain Moise Kean, describing the striker as a “fundamental pillar” both technically and economically. However, the sporting director acknowledged that in modern football, “clubs are not always masters of their own destiny in the face of unrefusable offers.” The loan arrangements for Mastantuono (no purchase option) and Jiménez represent short-term solutions rather than long-term building blocks.
The Academy Pipeline & Loan Tracker
Breakout Talents to Watch
Brando Mazzeo was the first Primavera player to receive a concrete signal from Vanoli, earning a place on the bench against Napoli. A group of young players — Angeloni, Pietropaolo, Turnone, Boskovic, Forte, Jallow, and Mataran — have been training with the senior squad, each hoping to follow the path of Luis Balbo, who has accumulated nine professional appearances since his Coppa Italia debut. Riccardo Braschi and Giorgio Puzzoli have also received opportunities.
Notable Out on Loan
Several players have departed on loan as part of the squad restructuring, with the club prioritizing regular minutes for developing talents. The loan strategy reflects Paratici’s emphasis on asset management and creating pathways for young players to gain experience.
Set-Piece Specialists & FPL Cheat Sheet
Penalties: Moise Kean (First Choice) / Albert Guðmundsson (Second Choice).
Direct Free-Kicks: Rolando Mandragora / Franco Mastantuono.
Corners & Crosses: Rolando Mandragora / João Mário.
Final Outlook: Navigating the Tactical Horizon
Fiorentina enter the post-international break period in a state of cautious optimism. Vanoli’s return has stabilized a club that was spiraling toward crisis after Grosso’s three-match disaster, and the early signs under the returning coach — fight against Napoli, resilience at Venezia — suggest the squad possesses the character to climb the table.
Yet significant questions remain. The squad is extraordinarily young, with thirteen summer signings averaging 22.7 years old, and the integration process is far from complete. The defensive balance remains precarious: Vanoli’s attacking full-backs leave space behind, and the midfield shield — whether Oulai or another option — must provide adequate protection for a back line still developing its cohesion. Up front, Kean’s consistency remains the great unknown; if the striker can finally deliver across a full season, Fiorentina possess the creative supporting cast to make a genuine push for European qualification.
The road ahead is demanding. A run of fixtures including Como, Inter, Atalanta, Sassuolo, and Juventus will provide a stern test of Vanoli’s ability to organize a young squad and extract results from a group still learning to play together. Paratici has set an ambitious tone, rejecting the logic of mid-table acceptance and insisting that Fiorentina must build toward something greater. Whether that ambition can be realized this season or requires a longer horizon remains uncertain, but Vanoli’s second act has at least restored a sense of direction and fight to a club that seemed adrift only weeks ago.
