Fiorentina Decide to Purchase On-Loan Lazio Stalwart

Lazio loaned-out midfielder Danilo Cataldi is reportedly set to stay at Fiorentina on a permanent basis after convincing his new employers with a series of solid displays.

The 30-year-old is a lifelong Biancocelesti supporter who realized his dream by rising through Lazio’s youth ranks to become a protagonist at his beloved club. Nevertheless, the two parties decided to part ways on last summer’s transfer deadline day when he sealed a loan move to Fiorentina.

This ensued due to several reasons, including some tensions between the player and the Lazio hierarchy which culminated with being shunned for the captaincy in favor of Mattia Zaccagni who inherited Ciro Immobile’s armband. Cataldi also found himself at the bottom of Marco Baroni’s pecking order, so a departure felt inevitable.

However, the Roman swiftly established himself as a pillar in Raffaele Palladino’s tactical system. He has thus far made five league appearances for the Viola, starting in every Serie A fixture since his arrival in Tuscany. So according to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Calciomercato), Fiorentina are increasingly leaning towards exercising their option to buy the midfielder.

As the pink newspaper explains, Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso considers the price tag of €4 million as a real bargain, so he has already given the green light for the purchase. Cataldi is one of the most experienced players in a squad filled with up-and-coming stars.