Arthur Atta’s first weeks in Florence have already contained the promise, interruption and renewal that often shape a player’s first championship season. The French midfielder used the international break at Viola Park to rebuild his physical sharpness, with Fiorentina expecting him to become increasingly influential when Serie A resumes.
The coach and the club
Fiorentina paid Udinese €25 million for Atta in the summer, while also agreeing to give his former club 30% of any future sale. It was a sizeable commitment, but one that quickly appeared justified during pre-season, when the player made a strong impression in tests against Real Madrid and QPR, scoring in the latter match.
Fabio Grosso was particularly pleased by the arrival of the Frenchman, and the subsequent change in the dugout has not altered Atta’s standing. Paolo Vanoli considers him a player the side cannot readily replace, a judgement that explains the attention being given to his work during the break at the Bagno a Ripoli training centre.
There was an early physical setback, though it did not cost Atta a league fixture. He missed only the Coppa Italia meeting with Pisa, as a precaution. The issue did, however, coincide with a dip after his encouraging introduction to life in Florence.
A midfielder searching for his full rhythm
Atta has made five Serie A appearances: four from the start and one as a half-time substitute against Torino. Fiorentina’s win in Venice brought one of his best collective performances, while the matches against Roma and Frosinone were more difficult for him.
In the latest outing against Napoli, he struggled to find a settled position within the contest, with his fitness still short of its best. The pause has therefore arrived at a useful point, giving him uninterrupted sessions in which to regain the condition that made him such a convincing figure in the summer.
His only direct attacking return so far came in the Coppa Italia tie against Benevento, where he set up Gudmundsson. The club nevertheless sees a broader attacking value in him: Atta can connect the midfield to the forwards and create the situations that increase the output of Fiorentina’s attackers.
A role that can alter the side
Vanoli has scope to use Atta either as a central midfielder or further forward. His mobility can help Fiorentina move between a 4-3-3 and a 4-2-3-1, as happened against Napoli, but that flexibility will be most effective only once he is fully fit.
His league deployments have already illustrated that adaptability. At Roma he played on the left of the attacking midfield line in a 4-3-2-1. Against Frosinone, and after coming on against Torino, he operated as a mezzala in the same system. In Venice, he was used in the three behind Beto, alongside Mastantuono and Njie, in a 4-2-3-1.
That capacity to change the balance of a team is why Atta remains central to Fiorentina’s plans despite an uneven early run. The club want to climb the table after the restart, and Vanoli’s work will depend heavily on bringing his most versatile players back to their strongest level. For Atta, the training ground weeks have become the beginning of another attempt to make his mark on the season.
