Fiorentina chief Pantaleo Corvino admits they had to see off a late bid from Chelsea to land Partizan Belgrade striker Stevan Jovetic.

"Real Madrid and Chelsea arrived late," said Corvino. "We had been courting Jovetic for a year. I was often at his home. Once his mother told me: 'My son learned to score goals by watching (Gabriel) Batistuta'.

"Thanks to Bati, Fiorentina was already in the heart of Jovetic."