Napoli, Bologna, Fiorentina and Porto push to sign Ecuador striker Kevin Rodríguez after standout Belgian season

Kevin Rodríguez, 25, has exploded in Belgium this season and is now at the center of a European tug-of-war. Napoli, Bologna, Fiorentina and Porto are advancing to secure his signature, while Brighton maintain long-term scouting. Sources close to the negotiations indicate the player has ruled out a return to South America, focusing instead on a step up in Europe. Stylistically, his direct runs, pressing intensity and penalty-box instincts make him a plug-and-play fit for Serie A and Primeira Liga. Expect formal bids to follow quickly as clubs accelerate their January and summer planning.

Multiple European clubs have tracked Rodríguez throughout the autumn and winter, with recruitment departments flagging his output in Belgium and in continental fixtures. Italian sides have intensified contact following fresh performance reports and positive character references from Ecuador’s national-team setup. Portuguese intermediaries see a clean pathway for adaptation given the league’s track record with South American forwards. English scouts have monitored him across several games, compiling data on high-intensity sprints, off-ball pressing and chance quality. The player’s camp has communicated a firm preference for a European project and has dismissed South American proposals.

CONFIRMADO 🚨🇪🇨💣 Kevin Rodríguez (25), su temporada no ha pasado desapercibida en Europa ​Napoli, Bologna, Fiorentina y Porto disputan su fichaje, además de un seguimiento del Brighton🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, también de clubes de Sudamérica, que esto último el jugador ha descartado por completo✅

@twotrepi

Impact Analysis

The immediate impact of a Rodríguez move would ripple across three markets: Serie A, Primeira Liga and the Belgian Pro League. For the Italian contenders, he answers a clear brief - an energetic 9 who can stretch lines, attack the first post and live off quick service. Napoli view him as a cost-efficient succession piece for a vertical attack that thrives on early balls in behind. Bologna and Fiorentina, both heavily system-driven, value his work without the ball just as much as his finishing. He presses on triggers, accepts physical contact and keeps center backs honest by constantly threatening depth. Porto’s angle is classic Porto - sign at the right age, refine the details, then benefit competitively and financially.

From a squad-building lens, Rodríguez offers immediate minutes as a rotational starter with upside to become the primary striker. His metrics in Belgium - shot quality over shot volume, repeatable runs into the box, and top-tier sprint load for a forward - translate well to leagues that reward tactical discipline and quick transitions. The Belgian club would secure a healthy profit, while Ecuador’s pipeline strengthens its reputation after recent European success stories. If Brighton decide to escalate beyond monitoring, the Premier League learning curve is steeper, but their development infrastructure is tailor-made for profiles like his. Net effect: whichever club commits early likely gets a market-efficient 9 who can impact matches within months, not years.

Reaction

Fan sentiment is split and loud. A chunk of replies fire the classic late-December skepticism, calling it a Day of the Innocents gag and questioning whether any bid is real. Others go straight to fit: several argue Porto is the best landing spot, citing the club’s track record with South American forwards. There’s cynicism too - one user quips that clubs will burn money on a “mueble,” doubting the player’s ceiling. Another predicts he won’t even leave Belgium and will pivot to Pachuca, a nod to familiar transfer pathways. Some South American fans downplay the European interest, tossing out mid-tier destinations like Junior de Barranquilla or Deportivo Táchira, more as jabs than serious options.

On the positive side, Ecuadorian supporters highlight how Moisés, Pacho and Piero have raised the bar, arguing that Rodríguez belongs in the next wave of exports landing and succeeding in top-5 leagues. There’s curiosity about other Ecuador talents too, with a side question about Nilson Angulo’s future hinting at broader excitement around the national pool. Overall mood: cautious optimism mixed with the usual transfer-window snark. The majority agree that if a move happens, Porto or a tactically cohesive Serie A side would maximize his immediate impact.

Social reactions

No lo sé Rick, es el día d los santos inocentes..

CarloStalin (@carlosmiori)

Q se vaya a un club q lo prepare mejor. No hay tanta evolución. Y necesita la selección tener gente q haga gol. Extremos, medio campo y defensa al ecuador le sobran. Pero un punta no hay ni debajo de las piedras

HackerPolitic (@HackerMindst)

Día de los inocentes

Rudyese (@Alvaro16956790)

Prediction

Short term, expect formal approaches to crystallize quickly once the Belgian window dynamics settle. An initial package in the €10-15m range with attainable add-ons and a sell-on clause matches how Belgian clubs typically negotiate for prime-age forwards. Porto and one of the Italian trio are best positioned to move first, with Brighton likely to hold their line unless the fee stays near the lower band or they can structure milestones. If Napoli press, the path looks like a spring agreement with a summer arrival, aligning with squad refresh plans. Bologna and Fiorentina could strike earlier if they offload a forward or secure European qualification incentives.

Sporting fit by scenario: at Napoli, Rodríguez becomes the vertical outlet and first presser, rotating in immediately and scaling up minutes based on productivity. At Bologna, he plugs into a pattern-based attack that values timing into the box, with clear minutes as a second 9. Fiorentina would lean on his aggressiveness to solve a long-standing finishing gap. Porto offer the most linear development route - steady starts, European exposure, and resale upside. Timeline call: talks advance over the next two weeks, medicals and signing can be wrapped swiftly once a fee is agreed. If the race drags, watch for a pre-contract framework that guarantees a summer move.

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Conclusion

This has the hallmarks of a deal that gets done. Rodríguez has the profile European recruitment teams want right now - fast, direct, resilient, and coachable. The player’s stance is clear: Europe or bust. The suitors make football sense, the fee is in the strike zone for Belgian exits, and the tactical fits are clean. My read is simple: if one of Napoli, Porto, Bologna or Fiorentina puts a structured offer on the table this month, they win the race. The data supports him as an immediate rotational starter with match-swinging upside, and his style travels across systems that press high or break quickly.

Transfer windows reward clarity, and this one has it. A tidy package, a motivated player, and clubs that know exactly what they would ask of him. Expect momentum to build fast now that interest is public. The first club to move from monitoring to bidding will likely secure a forward who can contribute from day one and grow into a headline piece within a season.