​Fiorentina announced this morning that promising young goalkeeper Tommaso Martinelli has departed the club once again on loan, this time to Avellino in Serie B. While there isn’t an official report available, transfer insider Nico Schira claims Avellino has an option to buy, with Fiorentina retaining a buyback clause. The exact financial terms aren’t published anywhere I can find; my hunch is that Avellino would hold an option around €5 million, with Fiorentina’s buyback clause potentially set below €10 million. But that’s pure speculation at this point. Fiorentinanews notes that there may be an appearance-based clause tied to Avellino’s promotion, though the specifics aren’t clear.
Perhaps because Martinelli made his senior debut on the final day of the 2023-24 season, it’s easy to overlook that he’s only 20 years old. After spending years on the bench behind David de Gea and facing a degree of neglect from Stefano Pioli despite preseason promises that he would be the cup goalkeeper, Martinelli earned a loan to Sampdoria last year and impressed the Blucerchiati leadership. He is currently Italy’s U20 starter and is slated to take charge of the U21s next year, having spent his entire career within the Azzurri youth system.
At twenty, Martinelli’s age underscores the need for regular first-team minutes to continue his development. His early promise ignited attention during the Primavera in 2022. While training with the senior squad and learning behind a veteran like de Gea is valuable, it cannot substitute for the experience gained from playing competitive senior football, something that Fiorentina wasn’t prepared to offer in Florence at that stage of his career.
Martinelli’s evident talent shone at the Ferraris last season, but his youth also showed itself in moments of inexperience. He occasionally mishandled possession, misjudged crosses, and looked like a goalkeeper taking his first steps into the adult game. That’s understandable, and it’s precisely why he needs regular minutes rather than a place on the bench in Florence. He is, without question, an excellent shot-stopper with notable size, quick reflexes, and a calm, steady mindset—attributes that demonstrate his potential. Yet to reach his ceiling, he must gain consistent game time, something the Florentine setup could not provide at this juncture.
With Alessandro Nesta as the new manager, there was a strong possibility Martinelli might have earned a larger role, perhaps even ahead of veteran Antony Iannarilli or fellow youngster Jacopo Sassi. However, sending him to Avellino, a club that can offer a couple of financial incentives and, crucially, starting minutes, appears to be a wise move to facilitate his growth. Avellino finished eighth last season, despite conceding 55 goals—the sixth-worst tally in Serie B—and were eliminated in the first round of the promotion playoffs by Catanzaro. If Martinelli can bring stability and improvement to their backline, there remains a realistic chance that Avellino could contend for promotion in the coming campaign, potentially paving the way for Martinelli to gain a foothold in Serie A with the club in the longer term.
The loan to Avellino should deliver exactly what the young keeper needs: regular, high-stakes minutes against seasoned professionals, the kind of pressure that accelerates learning and sharpens decision-making under fatigue. De Gea will continue to be Florentine’s first-choice goalkeeper, with Luca Lezzerini acting as his backup for another season. That arrangement will likely set up a competitive landscape for next summer, when Martinelli’s long-term future with Fiorentina could be reassessed in light of his performances on loan and his readiness to contribute to the first team.
This loan move kind of represents a win-win for all parties involved: Avellino gains a talented, hungry keeper who can help them push for promotion, Fiorentina protects Martinelli’s long-term development by avoiding a premature senior role, and De Gea’s successor is groomed in a setting where he can accumulate meaningful minutes and experience. It’s a stakeholder-friendly path that keeps a highly promising talent engaged and growing, while also offering clear incentives for the player to prove himself at a higher level.
Best of luck to Tommaso Martinelli as he embarks on this next stage of his career. Here’s hoping the loan proves to be the springboard he needs to develop into a mainstay goalkeeper at the top level, whether with Avellino, Florence, or another chapter in his soon-to-be-stellar journey. In bocca al lupo, Tommaso, and see you next summer.