Fiorentina has been very busy in this window, especially in the last two weeks. They have now added to their midfield with the signings of both Milan Badelj and Erick Pulgar.
The re-signing of Badelj
This comes as welcome news and as a huge surprise. He joins on an initial loan deal with an option that is thought to include signing the Croatian permanently from Lazio which is said to be around the €4 million mark.
Badelj is a huge upgrade to the midfield from last season. His calmness on the ball and his awareness and bite in the tackle gives freedom to the other midfielders around him.
The 30-year-old still has plenty to offer and his love for the club meant it was a no-brainer.
Badelj is a player that Montella knows well, he is very familiar with Florence and what the team means to the fans and this can be a huge advantage going forward.
Signing Pulgar
Fiorentina has also added Erick Pulgar to the side. He joins from Bologna at 25-years-old and arrived in Florence in time for his medical, to then sign his contract and had enough time to join his new team for training.
The Chilean midfielder will cost them €10 million plus 10 per-cent of future sales. He signed a five-year contract.
He is both an extremely versatile and talented player who will contribute to both the defensive and attacking side of the game. Some believe he is similar in performance to that of his countryman Arturo Vidal, which could make his fee a real bargain.
As mentioned, he can contribute to both sides of the game. His attacking side is down to his ability to shoot from distance and also, his set-piece taking can be a real danger.
Pulgar and Badelj
Together in midfield, they could create a perfect partnership. With Badelj mainly sitting in front of the backline, Pulgar will be able to burst from box-to-box. Thus creating, what could be, a solid partnership going forward for La Viola.