New Fiorentina forward Albert Gudmundsson addressed several topics during his introductory press conference, including his fitness, his role under coach Palladino, and controversial comments made by Genoa’s CEO about a potential contract renewal.
On his current condition, Gudmundsson stated, “I’m doing well. I have a small calf issue, but otherwise I’m fine.” He expressed excitement about joining Fiorentina, noting that the club had shown interest since January.
Regarding his new coach, Gudmundsson praised Palladino’s ambition and fresh ideas: “The coach is very young and ambitious, with lots of energy and fresh ideas. He’s already proven a lot at Monza. When I spoke with him, I had good feelings. He demands a lot from his players, and I think with him I can take another step in my career.”
Gudmundsson emphasized his versatility, saying, “I’m the type of player who can cover different roles. I can play on the wing, as an attacking midfielder, as a forward, or in midfield. It doesn’t matter where I’ll play, I’ll try to help the team in any case.”
Addressing the substantial transfer fee, Gudmundsson remained humble: “It’s a great honor to have been bought for so much money, but even if I had arrived for free, my commitment would have been 100%.”
The Icelandic forward also responded to comments made by Genoa’s CEO Blasquez about a potential contract renewal: “Clearly, Blasquez’s comments left me a bit shocked because I had a good relationship with him and knew him on a personal level. I don’t want to speak ill of him because he helped me a lot over the years. Clearly, people shouldn’t believe everything that’s out there. It’s not true that they offered me a renewal at the figures he mentioned. You have to be careful about potential fake news.”
Gudmundsson also touched on his decision to join Fiorentina: “In January, I had the opportunity to move to Fiorentina, but it all happened a bit hastily. I felt that my mission at Genoa wasn’t finished, and I didn’t want to leave the club mid-season. But I wanted to come this summer, and when I heard that Viola was interested again, I was very happy.”
Finally, he expressed gratitude to his former coach Gilardino: “He helped me tremendously with finishing. In the first few weeks, he was very strict with me, especially in practice matches; he always told me to score and hit the target. I have to thank him a lot.”
