Mihajlovic insists Montolivo staying

Fiorentina coach Sinisa Mihajlovic claimed on Saturday that captain Riccardo Montolivo will be going nowhere.

Montolivo has been the subject of transfer speculation after establishing himself in coach Cesare Prandelli’s new-look Italy side.

Following La Viola’s lowly 11th place finish last season they are not even in Europe in this campaign despite having competed in the Champions League in the previous two years.

And Montolivo put other teams on alert by recently refusing an offer of a contract extension.

“I’m convinced that in the end, Montolivo will stay in Florence,” said Mihajlovic on the eve of Fiorentina’s clash with Lecce in Puglia.

“He seems calm and serene and he still has two years to run on his contract with us.

“It was a positive thing that he was offered an extension but you can also understand that he’s thinking about what’s best for him.

“Hence I don’t think there will be any problems because he loves Fiorentina and Florence loves him.”