(The tape recorder clicks on. I’m leaning over a massive, newly printed contract dossier, tapping a gold pen against the desk. A ruthless, satisfied smile is plastered on my face.)
Act I: Cold Blooded Business
This is Football Manager. It is not a charity. It is not a Hollywood movie where the plucky underdog earns a lifetime contract because of one good game.
Elia Caprile was phenomenal in the Supercoppa Final. He saved our skin. He earned his winner’s medal. But one great performance against Iain’s Lazio does not erase the systemic, terrifying instability he displayed during the 1-4 Palermo collapse and Monza loss. I am trying to win the Scudetto, and you do not win the Scudetto with a goalkeeper you can only trust 70% of the time.
So, while Caprile was celebrating with the trophy, I was in the boardroom finalizing the paperwork.
On Monday, 12th January 2026, I pulled the trigger. Giorgi Mamardashvili is officially a Fiorentina player.
This wasn’t a minor tweak; this was a massive, statement acquisition. I dropped an initial £40,000,000 to bring the 27-year-old Georgian powerhouse over from Liverpool, with the deal potentially rising to £67,000,000.
Just look at his profile. He is a 199cm giant.
- Reflexes: 17
- Command of Area: 17
- Communication: 17
- Jumping Reach: 17
He is an elite, world-class Sweeper Keeper who perfectly fits the high-line requirements of the Purple Press. Caprile is a good goalkeeper. Mamardashvili is a title-winning goalkeeper. I sent him straight to intensive Italian language classes and told Pio Esposito to show him around the training ground. Caprile will just have to deal with it.
Act II: Endrick’s Introduction to Italian Football
With the goalkeeper situation ruthlessly resolved, my attention turned back to the attack. The Coppa Italia Third Round against Monza presented the perfect opportunity to blood my other massive January arrival.
Endrick stepped onto the pitch at the Artemio Franchi wearing the purple shirt. I deployed him on the right wing in the 4-2-3-1, allowing him to cut inside while Lucca anchored the front line.
He didn’t just debut; he announced himself.
The £32.5M Brazilian wonderkid immediately went to work breaking down the Monza defense. In the 38th minute, he provided his first assist. But he wasn’t done. Late in the game (84′), he set up Pio Esposito for another goal.
Endrick finished his debut with a staggering 9.4 match rating and two assists, earning the Player of the Match award. The media immediately dubbed his performance “classy”. If this is what he can do while he’s still unpacking his suitcases, the rest of Serie A should be terrified.
Act III: The Coppa Italia March
The match against Monza wasn’t just the Endrick show; it was a demonstration of our restored squad depth and tactical control.
We hammered them 3-1.
- Lorenzo Lucca found the net again, scoring a close-range finish just after halftime (52′).
- Manu Koné blasted a powerful effort in off the post shortly after (57′).
- Esposito’s late goal (84′), assisted by Endrick, sealed the deal.
We dominated the ball (58% possession) and the chances (2.54 xG to their 0.56). Mamardashvili made his debut in goal and, aside from a 94th-minute consolation header from Jérémy Jacquet, looked entirely untroubled.
The victory sends us through to the Coppa Italia Quarter Final. The draw? AC Milan at the Artemio Franchi on February 4th.
Act IV: The Casualties of War
The only dark cloud over a phenomenal week of business and results is the medical room.
In the 6th minute of the Monza game, Rolando Mandragora pulled up sprinting and had to be substituted. The diagnosis is sprained ankle ligaments.
The midfield engine room takes another hit just as the squad was starting to look invincible again. We have the firepower up top, and we finally have the wall at the back, but the grueling schedule continues to demand sacrifices.
