Fulham are now leading Leicester City in the race to sign Fiorentina and Serie A defender Igor Julio after Dean Smith’s side were relegated from the Premier League last month.
If the centre-half was hoping for an arm around the shoulder following La Viola’s last-gasp defeat to West Ham United in the final of the UEFA Conference League last week, then he would have been severely disappointed.
But Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Italiano was clearly not in a forgiving mood; blasting Igor at full-time after the 25-year-old was left choking on Jarrod Bowen’s dust. The West Ham forward racing onto Lucas Paqueta’s beautifully-weighted through ball before sending untold gallons of Staropramen flying into the Prague sky.
“Igor had just come on,” Italiano sighs, via Sky Italia. “He was fresh, he could’ve run much, much faster than (Luca) Ranieri, who was exhausted when he came off.
“I explained to him that he could’ve done much, much better in that situation. That’s all it was. If we had been more focused, we would’ve gone to extra time.”
Fulham could beat Leicester City to Igor Julio
If that is to be Igor’s final act in a Fiorentina shirt, then it’s hardly the way he’d have dreamed of bringing down the curtain.
The Standard report that Fulham are hoping to sign the former Atletico Mineiro starlet this summer. Igor’s contract expires in 2024. The Cottagers reportedly see him as a replacement for Tosin Adarabioyo, also entering the final 12 months of his deal.
Adarabioyo came on leaps and bounds under Marco Silva during the final few months of last term but faces an uncertain future in West London. There is reportedly interest from Champions League runners-up Inter Milan in the former Manchester City graduate.
Tuttomercatoweb, meanwhile, back up reports of Fulham’s pursuit of the 6ft 1ins Igor. The Cottagers are supposedly the ‘hottest’ club in the race, Leicester City’s stance weakened by their relegation at the end of May.
Fulham are also keen on Romain Faivre, but face a battle hanging onto Joao Palhinha and Manor Solomon.
“I cannot see (Palhinha) being there next year,” former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy tells talkSPORT. “You know when someone says they don’t mean to offend, and then they immediately do!
“(But) I think a lot of big heads will be looking at him. He is reaching his potential, and he’s a very, very good player.”
“If Fulham get offered £50 million for him, they’re going to take that,” Cundy adds. “He is at the peak of his powers, as good as anyone.
“The only problem is he picks up a lot of bookings. He needs to somehow temper that. But everyone else about his game; closing down, winning challenges, scoring goals…”


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