Paolo Vanoli says Pedro Gonçalves needs time after arriving in Italy on the last day of the window. Fiorentina have already used him in five of their eight matches, but his role has stayed limited, and Vanoli is making it clear that the plan is to lean on his attack rather than ask for a full all-action shift. Vanoli told A Bola that he wants to create conditions so the Portugal international does not have to run.

Vanoli's usage plan

The coach's wording leaves little room for doubt about how he sees the signing. "This year I want to use him for the qualities he has, especially in attack," Vanoli said. He added that Gonçalves "is the one with the most goals and assists" but that the staff have to protect his physical load.

The numbers match that cautious approach. Gonçalves has only four Serie A appearances and 60 league minutes, while his longest outing so far was 30 minutes in the 3-0 win against Pisa in the Italian Cup. Even in that cup spell, he produced his best rating at 7.51.

Fiorentina's own situation helps explain the restraint. They are 19th in Serie A with four points from six league matches, so there is no appetite for forcing a new arrival into a bigger workload than he can handle right now.

The conditions around the loan

There is a wider financial layer to the move as well. Daniel Bragança has joined Torino on loan with a €1 million fee and a €2.5 million purchase option, and the clause becomes mandatory after 15 matches with at least 45 minutes on the pitch. Gonçalves's deal is set at €2.5 million up front and €22.5 million for the permanent purchase, for a total of €25 million.

The trigger language around these deals can sound firmer than it really is, and the same caution applies here. A Bola described the Gonçalves arrangement with conditional wording, not as a completed obligation, so the immediate story is about integration rather than any settled end point.

If Vanoli keeps using him in short bursts, the pattern is likely to stay the same for the short term. Fiorentina's league position and Gonçalves's 60 Serie A minutes point to a player being built up carefully, not one being rushed into the full weight of the role.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →