Fiorentina switch excites Astori

Davide Astori is excited at what the future holds at Fiorentina after completing his season-long loan switch to Artemio Franchi from Cagliari.

The central defender came close to joining Napoli earlier in the transfer window, but after that collapsed he insists making the move to Florence was an easy decision.

Astori – who spent last season on loan at Roma – was unveiled as a Fiorentina player on Tuesday, and should he perform well under Paulo Sousa the club have the option to make his move permanent.

“Florence isn’t a stepping stone for me, but a point of arrival,” he said. “I want to establish myself in Italy and Europe. There’s pressure everywhere, the fans are very demanding.

“I chose Fiorentina because they have ambitious goals, and I think there’s an opportunity to do well. Everything is in place to do well.

“The players from last year have remained, and there’s a new coaching setup, I think we can take the step forward that we’re hoping for.

“I’ve always liked Fiorentina, both for the passion of their fans and the quality of their play. There’s been a project ongoing in recent years and it’s continuing to grow.”