Fiorentina have been rocked by more bad news after Nikola Kalinic announced he wants to join big spenders AC Milan this summer.
The Viola have already announced that Federico Bernardeschi and Borja Valero want to leave the club this summer but director Pantaleo Corvino ruled out the potential sale of Kalinic to Milan.
Kalinic has been heavily linked with a big money move to China in the last 12 months but has now expressed a desire to join Milan after Fiorentina rejected a bid from Vincenzo Montella’s side.
“Thank you Fiorentina for these two years and the opportunity you gave me,” he said in a statement published by Sky Sport Italia, via Football Italia. “I know that Milan want me and this is a great chance. I want a step up in my career.
“I consider my era at Fiorentina to be over. I want to join Milan.”
Milan have spent nearly £100m on six new players already this summer, which included making Porto striker Andre Silva the club’s second most expensive player of all-time.
However, they haven’t showed any sign of relenting in the transfer market and appear keen to strengthen their offensive options further even with the arrival of Atalanta wing-back Andrea Conti thought to be imminent.
After turning down an initial €20m (£17.6m) bid for Kalinic from Milan, Fiorentina are reportedly holding out for €30m (£26.4m) for the Croatia international.
The 29-year-old scored 15 goals in Serie A last season and those strikes earned Fiorentina 18 points in the league, which represented the best return in the league.
For more stats on Nikola Kalinic, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
That'd be great business for La Viola. As long as Valero and Bernardeschi stay, they'll make anybody a 15 goal scorer, and 25 m for a 29-year old would be more than a robbery.