Fiorentina have enquired about the possibility of loaning Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fernando, according to reports.
Respected Sky Sport Italia journalist Gianluca Di Marzio claims that an offer, which included an option for a permanent deal, was made on Thursday.
Fiorentina are in the market for a new holding midfielder to replace veteran Massimo Ambrosini, who has been released.
Given Fernando’s importance to Shakhtar – he made 22 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring twice – their bid is likely to be rejected.
The Ukrainian Premier League holders also still have five players – Alex Teixeira, Dentinho, Douglas Costa, Facundo Ferreyra and Ismaily – who are refusing to return to Ukraine, following a friendly in France against Lyon, due to the current conflict in and around Donetsk.
With such a significant portion of his squad unavailable, Head Coach Mircea Lucescu is highly unlikely to sanction any departures, while Shakhtar’s title defence starts on Saturday at the Arena Lviv – their home ground with the Donbass Arena considered unsafe – against Metalurh Zaporizhya.
Fernando joined Shakhtar from Grêmio for a reported fee of €11 million in June 2013. The 22 year-old, who was part of the Brazil squad that won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and has been capped eight times at international level, is one of 12 Brazilians in Lucescu’s squad.