Mattia Viti to Fiorentina

The Confusing Career Trajectory

Mattia Viti is a left-footed Italian center-back - inherently valuable traits in the market - yet his recent career path raises serious questions about his true level.

The journey tells a concerning story: Empoli to Nice (unsuccessful), loan to Sassuolo (relegated), loan back to Empoli (relegated again). Now Fiorentina offers redemption via loan with a €5 million buy option. For a 23-year-old with several years before entering his peak – given his position –, that price appears remarkably low.

Which raises the crucial question: is this a bargain or not?

Technical Profile:

Viti's radar reveals a player with clear qualities but notable weaknesses. The most glaring issue appears in his zone of responsibility - the value allowed to opponents in his area shows concerning numbers for a center-back. However, context matters significantly here, as playing for struggling teams with poor defensive structures inevitably impacts individual defensive metrics – plus Marianucci had a very similar radar to him while he played on the right of the defense.

The Passing Paradox

Perhaps more troubling than his defensive struggles is Viti's passing performance, particularly when compared to his new Fiorentina teammates. His progressive passing map shows ambition but poor execution - nearly 30% underperformance on expected completion rates which seem to align with the lot of value created.

This aggressive approach should be more or less positive, as he also seem to not suffer agains aggressive teams, but the data reveals a concerning pattern when compared to the Fiorentina center-backs he’s going to compete for starting:

Viti ranks as the worst passer among Fiorentina's current options, a damning statistic for a player expected to contribute to Pioli's system buildup.

Initially, one might assume Viti's poor completion rates stem from attempting riskier passes than his peers. However, comparative analysis reveals this isn't the case. Examining center-backs from both Fiorentina and Empoli, Viti and Goglichidze (fellow Empoli defender) stand out as the two red dots below the performance line.

This suggests there’s should be more research behind what’s happening with him and possibly Empoli center-backs passing overall.

Defensive Strengths:

Despite passing concerns, Viti demonstrates genuine defensive qualities that explain Fiorentina's interest. Among current Viola center-backs, he ranks second-best for tackle success rate while operating his defensive actions impressively high up the pitch between the bunch.

His activity level remains high at just over 12 defensive actions per 98 minutes, and crucially, these interventions create real value - a trait that shows in his radar profile.

Tactical Fit:

Viti's natural tendency to gravitate toward the left side of defense becomes apparent in both his passing and defensive action maps. This left-sided preference could prove valuable for Pioli, potentially allowing him to cover for Parisi's attacking runs in a similar fashion to successful partnerships at Milan where Theo has destroyed that wing for seasons.

His positioning suggests a player comfortable with the asymmetric responsibilities that modern full-backs and center-backs must navigate.

The Value Comparison

Context helps illustrate whether €5 million represents good business. Viti's statistical profile closely resembles Luca Marianucci, who's younger but cost Napoli more than double what Fiorentina would pay to secure Viti permanently.

This comparison suggests either exceptional value for Fiorentina or concerning questions about Viti's market perception following his relegation experiences.

The crucial question becomes whether Viti's struggles reflect individual limitations or environmental factors. Playing for increasingly dominant Fiorentina could improve his passing completion rates simply through better team structure and less desperate tactical situations. Similarly, his defensive metrics might improve significantly when surrounded by higher-quality teammates and playing for a team that doesn't spend entire matches defending deep.

But his passing could become less and less valuable for this reason, as his defensive actions value. It will be interesting to see what will happen with him.

Nonetheless this represents low-risk, possibly high-reward recruitment. If Viti's struggles stemmed primarily from team context rather than individual deficiency, Fiorentina secures a left-footed Italian center-back entering his prime for bargain money.

The loan structure provides perfect evaluation opportunity - if he thrives in Pioli's system, €5 million becomes exceptional value. If problems persist, Fiorentina simply returns him without significant loss.

Like the Fazzini acquisition, this demonstrates intelligent business: buying talented young players at reduced prices following difficult circumstances, then providing better environments for development.