ROME, July 15, 2008 (AFP) - Fiorentina captain Adrian Mutu on Tuesday hinted he may remain in Florence next season, despite rumours linking him with a move to Italian Serie A rivals AS Roma.

'I'm impatient to get to pre-season training. I can't wait to start working with my teammates. I'm wound up and really motivated,' the striker told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Mutu was on explosive league form last season, scoring 17 goals as the club finished fourth, earning them the right to compete in preliminary matches of the Champions League, the first time since the 1999-2000 season.

He also scored an impressive six goals in Fiorentina's march to the UEFA Cup semi-finals.

The 29-year-old is hoping to put a difficult summer behind him, after FIFA ordered him to pay former club Chelsea 12million euros relating to a failed drugs test and the passing away of his maternal grandmother.

'I know that Fiorentina stayed in touch over the last few months and for that I'm grateful,' said the ex-Juventus and Parma player, whose saved penalty in the 1-1 draw with Italy at Euro 2008 effectively cost Romania their place in the last eight.

'My main objective is the (Champions League) preliminary rounds and I have to concentrate on this.'