Fiorentina’s rebuilding has been most visible along the touchlines, where the club have assembled a crowded and flexible group while Paolo Vanoli weighs the balance between attacking thrust and defensive security. The changes began with Robin Gosens’ sale and Niccolò Fortini’s departure, and only Dodô remains from last season’s full-back unit. Even his future appears uncertain, with a possible January exit still on the horizon as his contract runs until 2027.
Dodô has so far been the least used of the available options, recording 135 minutes across Serie A and the Coppa Italia. Fiorentina had already prepared for a reshuffle in the summer, when Fabio Paratici brought in reinforcements in anticipation of his potential departure. João Mário and Alex Jiménez arrived on loans containing purchase options, while Víctor Valdepeñas joined permanently. The club also signed Viery from Grêmio: principally a Brazilian central defender, but one who can operate at left-back and is currently being used there by Vanoli.
The coach’s selection is not merely about numbers. Each of the new arrivals can cover more than one role, offering Fiorentina alternatives from match to match. That depth will grow again when Fabiano Parisi recovers from injury, with his return expected at the beginning of 2027. Parisi was used as a winger out of necessity last term, but should resume his natural position on the left of defence when fit.
Valdepeñas, João Mário and Jiménez have received broadly comparable playing time, although Jiménez leads the group with 397 minutes. The Spaniard, recruited from Real Madrid, has only featured on the left so far. He brings energy and forward momentum, though there remains work to do without the ball. That consideration led Vanoli to select Viery ahead of him against Venezia and Napoli. Viery was developed as a left-sided defender, despite spending much of the past few years in central roles.
At 19, Valdepeñas is the younger of the two left-footed prospects, with 21-year-old Viery alongside him. Valdepeñas combines pace, physicality and technical quality, and can also move inside to play centrally. Both have room to develop, while the same adaptability is evident on the other flank.
Jiménez began as a right-back but can fill in on the left and push further forward, drawing on his earlier experience as a winger and attacker. His ability to carry the ball at speed was again apparent against Napoli, where his effort was diverted in by Rafa Marín for his first Fiorentina goal and the equaliser. The former Milan player will now seek to persuade the club to activate the €20 million purchase option agreed with Bournemouth.
João Mário is most comfortable on the right, although Fabio Grosso deployed him on the left for his Fiorentina debut. He, too, looks to support attacks, but has made noticeable progress in his defensive work. With Parisi still to return and Dodô’s situation unresolved, Vanoli has a rare luxury for a season that is still searching for its rhythm: a selection of wide defenders able to change the shape of a Sunday afternoon without changing the personnel entirely.
