September 7th, 1999
Toldo nails himself to Florence

"I think there is an agreement between Fiorentina and Lazio already but I don't want
to go away"

NAPLES - Next year there is going to be a great moving of goalkeepers.
Francesco Toldo walks slowly up the path at Borghesiana. Rome's private radios assure 
that he will be Lazio's goalkeeper in the year 2000. More than a transfer rumour it sounds 
like a concluded deal. A 40-billion transfer.
Fiorentina's undisputed champion does not 
look surprised by this 'tomtom'. On the contrary. "It's got nothing to do with me" he says.
And he goes on, openly disappointed: "My impression is that there is already an agreement 
between Fiorentina and Lazio about my transfer to the Capital". Something serious had already
happened during the last transfer period. It's evident that he's not enthusiatic about the
idea.
Fiorentina's and Italy's big goalkeeper belongs to that category (in extinction)
of incurable romantic people. Years ago, in order not to betray Florence, he shut the door 
at Silvio Berlusconi's great Milan. Now, behind the corner there is Lazio. Another rich,
ambitious club. "But I don't want to change team. Florence is a splendid town and Fiorentina 
now is a team who can win the scudetto. Why should I leave? By the way, I just extended my deal
until 2004. Money are important. But they are not everything".
Francesco lives on the hills around Flroence. He's got a new girl friend, a lot of firends
All in all, he's a happy boy. He is annoyed by the idea of starting back from scratch.
"I'm tired of all these rumours. But what does Cecchi Gori think about this? 
It's not a mystery that Lazio want me. By the way Governato, who has started to work again
with them, always had a weakness for me. I think that Marchegiani is annoyed by this
story too".
Gigi Buffon too is convinced that at the end of the season there could be a sensational
moving of goalkeepers. The national team 'keeper accepted to stay one more year in Parma
avoiding the sensational offers from Lazio, Inter and Roma. But in twelve months everyhting
will be brought into question again. Buffon follows carefully the Toldo-Fiorentina-Lazio 
thing. Ready to become part of it. Lazio is still a pleasant hypothesis, but, after the
assurances of his friend Chiesa, Florence entered the group of interesting clubs.
For Buffon praises are no more enough. He wants to win a scudetto, a Champions League.
Anyone who can offer him the right stage becomes a serious speaker. In December, 
looking at the Serie A standings, things will get serious.

Taken from La Gazzetta dello Sport
www.gazzetta.it/lagazzetta
English translation by Maddalena (www.acfiorentina.net/enricochiesa)