Edoardo Bove could be very close to a return to competitive football, as media reports suggest he is close to joining Championship side Watford, 13 months after collapsing on the pitch while playing for Fiorentina.
In December 2024, during a Serie A match between Fiorentina and Inter, Bove fell ill, collapsed on the pitch and was immediately taken to the nearby Careggi hospital, where he was admitted to intensive care.
The youngster was released from hospital just two weeks after the disturbing experience at the Stadio Franchi, but has been unable to return to competitive football since.
As things stand, Bove is unable to continue his playing career in Italy due to the fact that he was fitted with an internal defibrillator device. As long as this device is in place, he will not be allowed to participate in professional sports in Italy.
The rules outside Italy are less strict on this issue. Bove has been compared several times to Christian Eriksen, who was forced to leave Inter after having a defibrillator fitted following a cardiac arrest during EURO 2020. The Dane later joined Brentford in the Premier League before joining Manchester United and then Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga.
Bove could emulate Eriksen by moving to England this month, according to reports from journalist Fabrizio Romano.
That's because Watford are close to signing the 23-year-old on a free transfer. Bove has reportedly terminated his contract with Roma, meaning he is able to leave the Olimpico for free at any time, not necessarily in the January transfer window. /Telegraph/
