Portuguese international Pedro Gonçalves gave his first interview as a Fiorentina player yesterday, after bringing an end to a six-year spell with Sporting by moving to Italy at the end of the summer transfer window.
Fiorentina have taken the 28-year-old on an initial loan for a fee of €2.5m, while the deal also contains a clause for an obligation to buy Pote outright for €22.5m should certain individual and collective achievements be met. The deal came on the same day Sporting allowed Daniel Bragança to leave for Torino on a similar loan switch.
Pote’s arrival in Florence has sparked much interest, with questions inevitably put to La Viola’s latest recruit about comparisons with club legend Rui Costa. Having arrived at Fiorentina from Benfica in 1994, Costa played for the club for seven years, making himself a household name in the world of football as he starred the most high-profile league in the world at the time.
"My first impression was very good, I'm very eager to start working with the team,” Pote said on Wednesday. “I want to give my best, assist and score goals so that the fans feel that there's a player there who gives everything for them.
“Fiorentina is a historic club. They've been champions twice and also have several cups. I remember Rui Costa's recent history and I hope to reach that level.”
Sporting tribute
Before departing Sporting, Pote spoke candidly about his affection for the Lisbon club, where he scored 97 goals and provided 58 assists. The Vidago-born midfielder won seven trophies at Alvalade, including three Portuguese league titles, while Pote was also the top goalscorer in the Primeira Liga during his debut season in 2020-21.
"Sporting gave me much more than a shirt to wear. It made me grow as a player and as a person," he wrote in a statement.
"When I arrived at Sporting, I never imagined I would experience this. There were many goals scored, titles, assists, happy moments and also moments when we had to lift our heads. But, above all, I take with me the people, the day-to-day life at the academy, every time they chanted my name at Alvalade or away games, the children asking me for photos… They will stay in my memory forever!
"I hope you know that I will never forget what I experienced with you. Thank you for everything, I lived one of my greatest dreams. To be a champion with Sporting and to experience Marquês de Pombal Square in green and white. May you always be very happy and continue to support Sporting, because Sporting is you. Always one of you.”
Pote will be the 5th Portuguese to play for Fiorentina. As well as Rui Costa, the Stadio Artemio Franchi was home to ex-Portugal striker Nuno Gomes, while former Porto full-back João Mário will be a teammate of Pote’s having joined on-loan from Juventus this summer. Finally, well-travelled wideman Gil Dias, currently of Famalicão, played one season with Fiorentina in 2018-19. Midfielder Tomás Reymão spent time at the club in his youth but did not make a senior appearance.
Fiorentina have started this season poorly, losing both of their opening matches in Serie A without scoring a goal. A 4-0 opening-day defeat to Roma was followed by a 3-0 home loss to Frosinone, leaving the team bottom of Serie A upon Pote’s arrival.
