Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove has had successful surgery to implant a removable heart starter device following his recent collapse during a Serie A match, the Italian club says.

Bove collapsed on the pitch during Fiorentina's home game with Inter Milan on December 1 leading to the abandonment of the match. Tuesday's operation was part of the medical protocol before he can be discharged from hospital.

"Edoardo contacted the club a few minutes ago and in his own words he informed us that he is fine and that he will have to continue the post-operative process before being discharged from the hospital in the next few days," Fiorentina said in a statement.

The Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), a type of pacemaker that can prevent fatal cardiac arrest by delivering a shock to restore a normal heart rhythm, is not permitted in Serie A.

Once all the results of the medical tests carried out on the 22-year-old over the past few days are in, Bove will be able to decide whether to have the device removed, which would allow him to return to the Italian top flight.

Denmark's Christian Eriksen was unable to continue playing for Inter Milan after being fitted with an ICD following a cardiac arrest during a European Championship match in 2021, and he later joined Brentford after the Serie A club terminated his contract.