Towards the end of July, La Repubblica reported interest from Manchester United, Sunderland and others in Fiorentina defender Pietro Comuzzo.
TuttoSport report today, relayed by FirenzeViola, that scouts from Manchester United and Sunderland have kept a close eye on the Italian.
The newspaper claim that Fiorentina currently want a fee of €40m to part ways with the defender, having rejected an offer of €30m plus bonuses from Napoli in January.
Comuzzo has now spoken about his future, with the 20-year-old having a chat with Radio FirenzeViola.
He said, as relayed by Quotidiano Sportivo: “The contract renewal [earlier this year] was a strong signal from the club, a demonstration of respect. President [Rocco] Commisso is a wonderful person, and I have a special bond with him.
“When my mother passed away, he was one of the first to come and console me. This is also why I’m happy to have stayed here, in a city that is a second home to me.”
The centre-back spoke about Napoli’s approach in January, saying: “Napoli’s offer in January honestly caught me a bit off guard.
“It all happened so quickly, but apart from the two or three days, the most intense ones, when I thought about it more, once the negotiations were over, I calmly set off on my way, convinced I had made the right choice, and I continued to give my all for this team.”
It doesn’t end there, as QS report that during Fiorentina’s pre-season friendlies in England, Manchester United, Sunderland and Bournemouth have been actively scouting Comuzzo.
They note that as things stand, the Fiorentina youth graduate isn’t too interested in a sale and is focused on the upcoming Serie A season.
Once again, it seems like these are attempts to put Comuzzo’s name out there and increase his valuation. A move may not be possible this summer but all this could lead to him getting a big move some months down the line, especially if he continues to impress for La Viola.