FIORENTINA RE-ENTER GOMES RACE
by Graeme Bailey
EXCLUSIVE
ITALIAN giants Fiorentina are set to re-join the race to sign Portuguese ace Nuno Gomes, who is currently one of the most wanted players in Europe.
French side Bordeaux were the most recent club to declare their interest, and they join Fenerbahce, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Deportivo La Coruna, Real Sociedad and Fiorentina in the hunt for the Benfica striker.
The Viola have just lost out to Real Madrid for the signature of Real Mallorca's Argentinian Diego Tristan, and are now hoping to secure the signing of Gomes.
Fiorentina president Vittorio Cecchi Gori has already met with his Benfica counterpart Joao Vale e Azvedo and, according to reports from Portugal, the pair are close to agreeing a deal.
The Florence side had been put off by the £9.9 million figure being asked by the Portuguese side, but Fatih Terim's men are lacking a striker since the departure of Gabriel Batistuta and are now prepared to meet the asking price.
Gomes himself has stated that he would love to stay with Benfica, but it now looks certain that one of the stars of Euro 2000 is destined to leave the Estadio da Luz.