Former Crystal Palace target Christian Kouamé says it wasn't his destiny to move to Selhurst Park during the January transfer window - despite having a deal agreed with the club.
The 22-year-old had all-but signed off on a move to Crystal Palace earlier this year, where he was due to become the club's third most expensive transfer of all-time behind Christian Benteke and Mamadou Sakho.
In the end, Kouamé joined Fiorentina on loan for the remainder of the season, and the Ivory Coast Under-23 international has described the failure to get the move to Crystal Palace done as 'destiny'.
"It wasn’t my destiny to go to Crystal Palace," Kouamé said, quoted by Fiorentina.it. "At Christmas, myself and my girlfriend went to Florence, and she told me she wanted to love there. Destiny, as one month later I was a Fiorentina player.
"I'm happy. I entered the first day and watched my companions ecstatic. On the third day, I trained alone, I saw [Franck] Ribéry. I didn't believe it... Before everything stopped I saw his last game with Bayern, the next day I said to him 'It's an honor I still don't believe that I play with you'."
Crystal Palace were forced to settle with the signing of Everton outcast Cenk Tosun on a short-term loan deal after Kouamé's most fell through, with the Turkey international going on to have a quick impact at the club by scoring in their 2-2 draw against Manchester City.
Tosun only made five appearances before having to undergo cruciate ligament surgery - the same issue which has kept Kouamé from making his debut for Fiorentina.
Before his move to Florence, Kouamé scored five goals and picked up three assists in 11 league appearances for Genoa.
Despite only being on loan, Fiorentina have an obligation to but the striker for €10m this summer, while the deal could rise by another €7m if certain performance-based add-ons are met.
For more from Ben Carter, follow him on Twitter!
Source :
90min
