Fiorentina have officially announced the signing of Christ Inao Oulai from Trabzonspor for an initial fee of €26 million plus €4 million in performance-related bonuses, finally completing the transfer after a bizarre incident at Istanbul airport briefly delayed the player’s arrival in Italy. The 20-year-old Ivory Coast international has signed a contract with the Serie A club after completing his medical examinations in Florence, becoming their fifth summer acquisition following Viery, Radu Dragusin, Alex Jimenez and Arthur Atta.
The deal includes a 10 per cent sell-on clause for Trabzonspor, who will benefit financially from any future transfer. The Turkish club purchased the midfielder from French side SC Bastia just last summer for €5.5 million, meaning they have secured a substantial profit on a player who spent only twelve months with them. This represents a remarkable increase in value for the young midfielder, who has quickly established himself as one of the most promising talents in his position.
Airport incident delays arrival
The transfer was nearly derailed by a strange episode at Istanbul airport earlier this week. Upon returning from extended leave following his participation in the 2026 World Cup, Oulai and his father were met by individuals falsely claiming to represent Trabzonspor. These impostors took the player into their vehicle and attempted to pressure him into reviewing a contract, falsely stating that rival clubs had entered negotiations.
Genuine officials from the Turkish club were initially unable to contact Oulai by telephone, but eventually intervened to recover him from the situation. The confusion forced Fiorentina to cancel their scheduled flight to transport the player to Italy. Oulai later landed at Bologna airport and travelled to Florence to complete his medical assessments.
International recognition
Oulai, who turned 20 in April, has already earned 13 senior caps for the Ivory Coast and featured in his country’s campaign at the 2026 World Cup. His rapid development over the past twelve months earned him a nomination for Tuttosport’s Golden Boy Award, which recognises the most promising young players in European football. The award nomination highlights his status as one of the continent’s emerging talents.
The midfielder is expected to bolster Fiorentina’s options in the centre of the park as they prepare for the upcoming Serie A campaign, adding to their busy summer recruitment drive.