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Yesterday, rumours out of Italy claimed Fiorentina wanted to offer striker Fabio Borini a way out of his Anfield purgatory. Today, Florence’s La Nazione, who have ties to the club, are taking things a step further by claiming that Borini has signalled he's eager to get a deal done with last season’s 4th-place finishers in Serie A.
If true, it could signal a major step towards Liverpool finally getting the striker off their books and Borini getting a chance at a bit of playing time this year. Previously, many have come looking to give Borini a chance at first-team football, but from QPR and Sunderland to West Ham and Lazio, Borini has until now been quick to kill off any chance of a deal getting done.
Usually this has been done by the player demanding wages in excess of what the clubs looking to buy him could pay. This time around, though, it appears he is sending signals to Fiorentina that he would sign for an amount they would be willing to offer—or at least that’s what the local paper is reporting. It could of course still come to nothing, but it’s a promising sign.
Not so promising is the suggestion that now that Liverpool have maybe found a potential buyer Borini would like to play for, Liverpool are the ones stopping a deal being completed quickly by demanding more money for him. Having seen QPR and Sunderland offer upwards of £12M for Borini last year, the £5-6M offered by Fiorentina is apparently not enough.
Given Borini has spent the last 12 months rotting in Liverpool’s reserves and is down to two years left on his Liverpool contract, if true it seems an odd stance for the club to be taking. Still, it may reflect the fact that West Ham reportedly were still willing to offer closer to £8M for Borini earlier this summer. That could be making Liverpool think they can get a little more.
If that is the case, though, it’s a very dangerous game for Liverpool to be playing. Borini has so far shown he’s only going to move on his terms. And Fiorentina, in the Europa League this year and with a chance to challenge in Serie A, are by far the best option who have so far shown an interest in him. As such, it’s easy to see why Borini would be open to the move.
If Liverpool price them out of one, it’s far less clear what comes next. Other than loaning out the player for another year while his value drops even further and Liverpool pay at least some of his wages. If there’s any truth at all to the latest rumours, then, Liverpool need to stop haggling, take the money, and wish Borini luck as he heads to Fiorentina.
