Try as they might – and Aston Villa certainly appear to be trying – but the £25 million man is in no rush to leave this summer.
This is the second time Andrea Ritorni has spoken out about the future of a player he represents. And, for the second time, Ritorni played down the chances of a big-money departure in the off-season.
HITC reported in late-June that Aston Villa had opened initial talks with Fiorentina, though those discussions do not appear to have reached anything close to an advanced stage as of yet.
Tottenham Hotspur are also huge admirers of Michael Kayode, the right-back having been scouted too by Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham United.
But, like he did back in the spring, Ritorni is again telling the Fiorentina supporters that they can sleep a little easier for the time being.
While HITC have been told that a bid of £25 million may be enough to convince the beaten Europa Conference League finalists to cash in, no such offer has arrived. And, even if it did, Kayode’s camp appear to be of the opinion that the Italy Under 21 international would be better off staying put for at least another 12 months.
Aston Villa and Tottenham in Michael Kayode race
“Of course, he still has some fine tuning to do on his game. Sometimes, (Kayode is) still a bit too messy. But this is a boy born in 2004 who comes from the Primavera (academy), won the Under-19 European championship and then went to the first team,” Ritorni tells Tuttomercatoweb.
“It was a more than positive year.”
Kayode, a key part of Italy’s U19-winning side in 2023, only made his Serie A debut last season.
The swashbuckling 19-year-old was an immediate hit at first-team level. Technically-gifted and tactically-intelligent, Kayode is the prototype of a classic modern full-back in the Destiny Udogie mould.
One particularly impressive display up against Napoli superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, meanwhile, saw the teenager labelled an ‘extraordinary’ talent.
Fiorentina recently lost talismanic head coach Vincenzo Italiano to Bologna. But Ritorni is confident that his replacement – the ex-Monza boss Raffaele Palladino – can continue where Italiano left off with regards to Kayode’s development.
Agent urges Serie A starlet to stay at Fiorentina
“I think this year he has to take a further step to get to the top, obviously improving. And, with a coach like Palladino I think he has a good chance of doing it,” adds Ritorni, who works for the VigoGlobalSport Service agency.
“The coach, who I’ve known since his time at Juventus, is an excellent coach.
“The market is so particular and ends on August 31st. If we consider that they ask for him in the Premier and Bundesliga, this means that Fiorentina (have done well with Kayode).
“They ask me: ‘You have so many requests’. But one thing is the request, which is nice and everyone likes. Another is to sit down and negotiate, something that has not happened so far. Then, Kayode has a contract until the age of 24.
“There has been something from Italy, but not much. Mostly there is talk of the Premier League. Today Kayode is a Fiorentina player, and they are holding on to him. Palladino wants him.
“Then, if an offer arrives Fiorentina will decide. As of today, there is nothing concrete. I think and hope that he will stay to mature for another year. If he has another great year here, then his value will also increase, because I am convinced that he will have an amazing season with Palladino.”
Interest from Aston Villa and Tottenham highlight the uncertainty surrounding the futures of both Matty Cash and Emerson Royal. Interestingly, both right-backs have been linked with a move to Serie A giants AC Milan, one pundit insisting that Emerson is the ‘right man’ for the Rossoneri.
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