Edoardo Bove of ACF Fiorentina looks on during the Serie A match between Fiorentina and FC Internazionale at Stadio Artemio Franchi on February 6, 2025 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Edoardo Bove could be closing in on a return to competitive football, as reports on Thursday suggest that he is close to joining Championship side Watford 13 months after he collapsed on the pitch while representing Fiorentina.
Bove nears return to professional football 13 months after on-pitch collapse
Back in December 2024, during a Serie A match between Fiorentina and Inter, Bove fell ill, collapsed on the pitch and was immediately rushed to the nearby Careggi hospital, where he was admitted to intensive care.
The youngster was discharged just shy of a fortnight after the worrying ordeal at the Stadio Franchi, but has been unable to return to competitive football since then.
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 that device is in place, he will not be permitted to take part in professional sport in Italy.
Rules abroad are less strict on the matter, though. Bove has drawn several comparisons to Christian Eriksen, who had to leave Inter after being fitted with a defibrillator following his 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 Fabrizio Romano.
That is because Watford are closing in on the signing of the 23-year-old as a free agent. Bove has reportedly terminated his contract with Roma, which means that he is able to leave the Stadio Olimpico for free at any point, not necessarily in the January transfer window.
