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Lafont swaps Fiorentina for Nantes

SoccerNews in Serie A 29 Jun 2019

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Nantes have agreed a two-year loan with a purchase option to bring Fiorentina goalkeeper Alban Lafont to Stade de la Beaujoire.

The 20-year-old was Fiorentina’s first-choice goalkeeper in 2018-19, making 34 appearances as La Viola finished 16th in Serie A after joining for €8.5million from Toulouse in July 2018.

Despite holding down his place in the team under Stefano Pioli and then Vincenzo Monella, Lafont failed to settle in Tuscany and opted to return to Ligue 1 with Nantes, who have an option to make the signing permanent for a reported €7million fee.

Born in Burkina Faso, Lafont has played for France at youth level and made 98 Ligue 1 appearances during three years at Toulouse.

He told FirenzeViola the decision to leave was his own rather than Fiorentina’s, saying: “I was really happy in Florence, a very beautiful city and it will always remain in my heart because of its history. But it had to end, I felt that my path had come to an end.

“I take all the responsibility, it was my choice. I had already decided well before the end of the season to leave. I explained to my entourage my desire to go to another club and fortunately everything was concluded quickly.

“I could have opted for other destinations, given that the offers were not lacking, but in the end I decided to return to the country where I’ve done my best things.”

Fiorentina have welcomed Polish goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski back to the club after he completed a loan at Empoli and fellow shot-stopper Michele Cerofolini has also returned to Stadio Artemio Franchi after spending 2018-19 at Bisceglie in Serie C.

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