The corridors of power in Florence have suddenly grown a little draftier. Fiorentina's pursuit of Tomas Aranda, the precocious Boca Juniors attacking...
The corridors of power in Florence have suddenly grown a little draftier. Fiorentina's pursuit of Tomas Aranda, the precocious Boca Juniors attacking talent, was shaping up as one of the more intriguing, well plotted moves of the summer window. A club built on the romance of the South American connection, the Viola had positioned themselves nicely. Now, they have company, and it is the kind of company that makes a sporting director's stomach drop.GoalZaza can confirm that Arsenal have entered the race for the 19 year old sensation, injecting a dose of Premier League cash and cachet into what was a relatively serene negotiation. For Fiorentina, this is the nightmare scenario. They had done the legwork. They had scouted his lung busting runs from deep, his comfort in the half spaces, and that rare ability to ghost past a low block as if it were a training cone. But London is a hell of a lure, and the wages on offer in north London tend to rewrite a young man's priorities.Let's be blunt about this. Fiorentina's entire recruitment model relies on spotting the rough diamond before Europe's elite catch the glint. They have been excellent at it. But when the big dogs start sniffing, the margin for error vanishes. Arsenal, with their need for tactical flexibility in the final third and a manager who adores a hard working creator, see Aranda as more than just potential. They see a player who can operate in the transitional chaos of the Premier League, a kid who runs at defenders with a cold, clinical intent.The question for Aranda is one of progression. Does he choose the gentler, more technical baptism of Serie A, where he can adapt to European physicality under less scrutiny Or does he take the plunge into the cauldron of English football, where one bad touch can be a highlight reel for a week Fiorentina hoped they could sell him the project, the path, the legacy of Batistuta and Rui Costa. Now they have to convince him that the path less travelled is still the one that leads to greatness. The ball, as it always does, is in the player's court. And it is bouncing with remarkable speed.
