Stevan Jovetic claims he's allowed to leave Fiorentina and is evaluating options in Italy, Spain, and England

Stevan Jovetic wants a new challenge and he claims that after agreeing to stay last summer, he's now allowed to leave the purple shirt of Fiorentina and the lovely rolling hills of Tuscany behind.

"Last summer president Andrea Della Valle told me to stay one more year and that at the end of the season, which is now, I would be allowed to leave if I wanted to."

"I've been at Fiorentina since 2008, it has been five intense seasons. I'm young and ambitious and it is normal to want to test myself somewhere else. I don't see anything wrong with that."

It's a story we hear many times, ambitious players looking to test themselves and play in European competitions. And once they get a taste of the midweek primetime, they want more. They want to win.

"Fiorentina have allowed me to compete in Europe. Now I want to win in Europe. Fiorentina's request won't block a departure. There is a clause but they will help me."

The list of suitors for Jovetic's services is no doubt a sizable one. At just 23 and despite some inconsistencies and an injury or two, the striker's best years are probably still ahead of him. Valued at around £20m - presumably below whatever that "clause" may be that he mentions - he joins an ever-growing list of potential transfer targets who wouldn't break the back and yet still make a large impact.

Chelsea have been linked with Jovetic for about a year and a half now, so it's no surprise that they're rumored to be back in again. At least three other teams are in the hunt as well, including Arsenal, Juventus and a mystery team from Spain.

"I will also evaluate the Premier League, which is a fantastic championship, as well as La Liga. I have proposals from each of them so let's see what happens."

"Juventus have been trying to get me for over a year. They say they want me and that I am first on their list ahead of (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, (Carlos) Tevez and (Gonzalo) Higuain. Who wouldn't be flattered by that?"

We've talked a bit about Gonzalo Higuain around here as well, so that last bit about Juventus may be of additional interest. The Italian champions were rumored to be the front runners for Higuain, but if they prefer Jovetic instead, could that increase Chelsea's chances of whisking El Pipita out of Madrid?

Of course, with Arsenal also rumored to be keen on Higuain's services, this might all become a bit too much like musical chairs. Two strikers; three teams; somebody's going to walk away with Cavani instead.