Fiorentina have completed the signing of Christ Inao Oulaï from Trabzonspor in a permanent deal, confirmed by both clubs on 18 July 2026. The Ivory Coast midfielder has signed a contract at the Stadio Artemio Franchi running until June 2031. Trabzonspor will receive a guaranteed €26m fee, with a further €4m available in performance-related add-ons, taking the total package close to €30m. The Turkish club have also retained a 10 per cent cut of any future sale, a clause that could bring in even more money if Oulaï moves on again down the line.
The move addresses one of Fiorentina's biggest problems from last season. The club finished 15th in Serie A with just 42 points in 2025-26, a campaign that led to the departure of head coach Paolo Vanoli and the appointment of Fabio Grosso for the new season. Grosso's side lacked control in midfield, and Oulaï, comfortable both screening the back four and driving forward into central midfield, was identified as a way to fix that. He is a strong passer under pressure and gives Fiorentina an athletic, ball-winning presence in front of the defence, exactly the kind of profile a rebuilding midfield needs.
For Trabzonspor, this is a striking financial win but a real loss on the pitch. Oulaï arrived from the French club Bastia only a year ago, in summer 2025, for around €5.5m, and quickly became one of the first names on the team sheet in central midfield, helping the club win the Turkish Cup. Selling him for close to €26m guaranteed less than 12 months later ranks among the biggest sales in Trabzonspor's history and represents an enormous profit on their original outlay. It leaves a clear gap in the middle of the pitch that the Turkish club will now have to fill, even if the sell-on clause softens the blow if he is sold again in future.
Oulaï's stock has risen fast. He made 31 appearances in all competitions for Trabzonspor last season, contributing two goals and four assists, and built a reputation as a reliable, high-volume passer who also does the defensive side of the game, regularly making tackles, interceptions and recoveries. His summer got even better: he was capped for Ivory Coast at the 2026 World Cup, playing a part in every one of their matches as they reached the knockout stage for the first time, before going out 2-1 to Norway in the round of 32. That tournament exposure, plus a nomination for the Golden Boy award given to one of Europe's best young players, only added to the interest from bigger clubs.
At Fiorentina, Oulaï should give Grosso a genuine option in both a holding role and a more advanced central midfield spot, offering energy and composure to a team that will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing league finish. At 20, he arrives with more senior and international experience than most players his age, having already played regularly in a European top flight and started World Cup matches. How quickly he adapts to Serie A's pace and physicality will be one of the bigger questions of Fiorentina's pre-season, but the ambition behind the fee is clear: this is a long-term midfield rebuild, not just a squad addition.