Chelsea and Fiorentina are equally positive options for Mario Pasalic
By George Perry
Serial loanee Mario Pasalic may be on his way back to Serie A, this time to Fiorentina. If Chelsea choose not to keep him in the squad this season, Fiorentina is a perfect destination, preferably on a transfer.
Mario Pasalic is hitting all the wickets for what should be a make-or-break off-season with Chelsea FC. He is 23 years old with four seasons on loan, all in “Big Five + 1” leagues. If the Blues choose to send him off again this season, they should look for a loan-to-buy – if not an outright transfer – to a top club. Rumours of interest from Fiorentina fit the bill perfectly.
Fiorentina stumbled during the Serie A run-in last season. They were on pace for a Europa League berth, but fell into eighth place with four losses in their last six games. Fiorentina have a young, Europa League-calibre squad and a manager with a plan and passion for the club. Pasalic can have a rapid impact on the club, and within a year return them – and himself – to European competition.
Pasalic would be a strong challenge – if not replacement – for his countryman Milan Badelj in Fiorentina’s midfield. Fiorentina play a classically Italian, flowing style of football that would suit Pasalic perfectly. He could slot in between Jordan Veretout (age 25) and Marco Benassi (age 23) for a dynamic midfield in support of Fiorentina’s attacking threats of Giovanni Simeone and Federico Chiesa. Given Pasalic’s “vertical versatility” as a defensive, central and attacking midfielder, he could open up Fiorentina’s tactical adjustments in transition and from game to game.
Pasalic spent the first half of pre-season with Chelsea last summer, making the Asia tour before reporting to Spartak Moscow on August 2. The Blues should give him a thorough consideration this summer, especially considering their flux among their non-French midfielders. Danny Drinkwater is likely to leave, in large part because he has little wish to stay and risk another idle year. He and Ross Barkley are both question marks due to injury, anyway. But Barkley has at least been a Chelsea target for some time, and has more versatility.
Pasalic could be a useful addition in the role Chelsea hoped Drinkwater and Barkley would fill. He would free up Barkley to play on the wing, where the Blues are much more in need of depth. Promoting Pasalic would also be important to the morale of the loan army. In a summer where two young players have already jumped ship due to their perception of dim prospects, Pasalic chould offer the rest a Blue light at the end of the tunnel.
However, he may want more playing time than Chelsea will give him. Pasalic has averaged about 25 games per season over his four years on loan. At this stage in his career he should be playing 10-15 additional games. But unless he greatly impresses Antonio Conte in pre-season and jumps most of the depth chart, he would likely find his time limited to the Europa League, domestic cups and substitute appearances. If that satsifies him, excellent. If not, he may desire the loan.
Fiorentina is an appealing destination for one other reason. The Blues need all the help they can get in their dealings with Serie A. Chelsea has to jump through flaming hoops for most players they want to buy from Italy. Yet Marcos Alonso was one of the easiest transfers they have made in years. Part of this is because few people could have predicted his rise into one of the game’s best wing-backs. But that deal could go down as the beginning of a good relationship between the teams.
Fiorentina have a young corps of highly talented, somewhat off-the-radar players. Chelsea should maintain a good relationship with the Viola in the hopes of receiving decent – if not preferential – treatment on transfers. An amicable loan-to-sell with Mario Pasalic could grease the skids for Federico Chiesa to make his way to Stamford Bridge in a year or two.
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Mario Pasalic has served his time in Chelsea’s loan army with the sadly predictable results. As with so many of the other 23- and 24-year olds, he deserves a forever home where he can properly establish his career. If that is not to be at Stamford Bridge, Fiorentina is a prime alternative.