Inter nabs technical whiz Borja Valero from Fiorentina
Inter's midfield is set for a major boost with the signing of Borja Valero from Fiorentina.
I Nerazzurri announced the acquisition in a statement Tuesday. Valero makes the San Siro switch on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, though Fabrizio Romano of the Guardian reports La Viola will receive an initial €5.5 million that could rise to €7 million with performance related add-ons.
Valero's move to Inter is not without controversy.
Fiorentina considered legal action against Valero, 32, after a recorded message on social media from the once-capped Spain international claiming that he'd been forced out of the club he joined in 2012 from Villarreal.
A-MAZ-ING! Fiorentina fans show their support for Borja Valero at his home as he & his wife come to the window! 💪🏼💜⚜️pic.twitter.com/kamgREYHF9
— Chloe Beresford (@ChloeJBeresford) July 5, 2017
The club has since tweeted "Fiorentina thanks Borja for the splendid five years spent together and wishes the Spanish midfielder the best of luck." La Viola fans made their allegiances clear when they paid the Valero family a visit as a show of support.
A technically proficient player who pairs a penchant for perfectly weighted passes with lethal free kicks, Valero arrives in Milan on the heels of a run of consistency. The central midfielder has made no fewer than 31 league appearances in each of his last eight seasons with Fiorentina, Villarreal, and Mallorca.
With Luciano Spalletti set to kick off a debut campaign bossing Inter, at first glance, Valero looks like he'll walk into the first team as a replacement for Ever Banega, who returns to Sevilla just 13 months after signing with the 18-time Serie A champ.