Overview
- Multiple outlets reported on Wednesday that Hull City are close to agreeing an initial loan for 20‑year‑old Niccolò Fortini from Fiorentina, though no club has confirmed a completed deal and the player has not publicly agreed the move.
- Reports describe the proposed arrangement as an initial loan with an option to buy next summer, with media figures putting the eventual fee in the region of €8–10m including add‑ons and other outlets citing around €9m as a likely figure.
- Fortini is a Lucca‑born fullback who can play on either flank or as a wide midfielder, earned his first Italy cap this year, made 26 appearances for Fiorentina last season and overcame a midseason back problem to finish the campaign.
- Fiorentina contract timing appears to be a key factor because Fortini’s deal runs until next June, which helps explain Hull’s loan‑first approach and why other clubs such as Torino and earlier links to Bournemouth have been named as competitors.
- The move fits Hull’s broader recruitment plan after promotion as they balance low‑risk loans with permanent signings; the club also remain linked with winger Keito Nakamura and have sent teenage defender Cathal McCarthy to Kilmarnock on loan.