Domenico Berardi has already agreed on a contract to join Fiorentina if Sassuolo sanction a January transfer for the reported Arsenal target to switch Serie A sides, per Calciomercato.
The Italy winger remains determined to leave the Mapei Stadium after declaring intentions to do so during the summer. The Neroverdi have failed to convince the 27-year-old to have a change of heart, as he considers his adventure in Emilia-Romagna to be at its natural end.
Berardi is eager to take on a new challenge after spending his entire career at Sassuolo. He briefly joined Juventus, but never played for them after immediately returning on loan.
Fiorentina piques Berardi’s interest and contact between I Viola and the Sassuolo winger’s agent has resumed in recent weeks. The Artemio Franchi Stadium outfit explored a deal in the summer, but refused to pay the Neroverdi’s €35m (£29.5m) valuation.
Berardi and Fiorentina have now agreed a four-year deal in principal worth €3.5m-a-season (£57k-a-week). But he remains on tenterhooks, waiting for Sassuolo to greenlight a move.
The forward and Viola settling on terms may come as a big blow to Mikel Arteta’s pursuit of the Italian. Fanta Calcio recently claimed Arsenal had also approached Sassuolo to discuss a transfer for Berardi, who Fiorentina are prepared to pay €30m (£25m) to sign in January.
Is this the end of the road for Arsenal hopes of Berardi transfer?
Arteta can still hold out hope for Arsenal securing a transfer for Berardi if Sassuolo will not sell to Fiorentina. As their CEO, Giovanni Carnevali, recently called the forward ‘essential’.
The two sides are also only separated by four-points in the Serie A so far this season. While the Neroverdi are just five-points clear of the relegation zone after 12 games, as well.
Berardi has featured in 10 of Sassuolo’s games and scored five goals, while laying on three assists. No other Neroverdi player has scored more than three, or provided more assists.
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