Portugal international Pedro Gonçalves is being eased into his new surroundings at Fiorentina, but after a first goal for his new club in midweek the noises around his adaptation suggest a promising start.
Pote moved to Florence on deadline day earlier this month on an initial loan deal which could be made permanent if certain stipulations are achieved. Due to the player’s disrupted pre-season preparations, Fiorentina boss Paolo Vanoli has opted to introduce his recruit gradually.
Pote was a late substitute in both his first appearances in Serie A, coming on with around ten minutes to play in both the 2-1 home loss to Torino and the 4-2 away win over Venezia. When La Viola hosted Pisa in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday, the Seleção man was again named on the bench.
However, Pote was afforded more time in the latest outing, coming on just before the hour mark with his side leading 1-0. The former Sporting man responded by scoring the third goal in the final minute as the hosts cruised to a 3-0 victory.
“Right now, perhaps due to what he went through this summer, he lacks a bit of physical condition and I’m trying to manage him so that he gets to the break and then can do a good job,” Vanoli said.
“But when he came on, he changed our rhythm. By positioning himself between the lines, he showed the game rhythm of someone who knows how to play football, it’s not up to me to discover that now.
“Pedro came from Sporting and started as a midfielder but then moved up the pitch a bit. But, as I said, on the wing I need someone like Gnonto, who sometimes does the dirty work.
“I put Pedro in because, for me, he’s a player who understands space, he’s technically strong, and we saw that in the goal he scored.
“He prefers to play through the middle but he’s totally available to do what the team needs. He can really hurt opponents when he plays between the lines.”
Pedro Gonçalves, o Pote, mostrando seu cartão de visitas na Fiorentina. Grande finalizador de fora da área! pic.twitter.com/AvX4Im5nwl
— Leonardo Bertozzi (@lbertozzi) September 16, 2026
Pote grateful to Sporting
This week also saw the official presentation for Pote at his new club, over two weeks since his arrival was confirmed. During a brief media appearance, the midfielder expressed his gratitude to Sporting for his six-year spell at Alvalade, while stating some lofty ambitions he aims to fulfil in Italy.
“I am very grateful to Sporting. I am part of the club’s history,” he noted.
“I have a winning mentality, I want to have the goal of winning. Fiorentina has a good, well-developed project. We won’t be ready to win immediately, but in the next four years we will have good seasons. I will try to do my best to make history at this club.
“I’m fine, I’m getting back to my best form and I’ll certainly have time to train during the break and then be at my best,” he explained.
Related article: Related article: Pedro Gonçalves hoping to emulate Rui Costa after Fiorentina move
