Mutu dampens City switch reports

Published Jan. 22, 2010 5:10 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Romania international is reported to be a January target for Blues boss Roberto Mancini, who has money to spend during the winter window. Mutu is well known to Mancini from his time spent coaching in Italy, where the talented frontman was a regular source of goals for Juventus and Fiorentina. He has previous experience of life in England as well, but a 14-month stint at Chelsea between August 2003 and October 2004 ended in disgrace when he was sacked by the club for failing a drugs test. Mutu has not ruled out the possibility to trying his luck in the Premier League again at some point in the future, but feels now is not the time. The 31-year-old insists he is fully focused on life in Serie A at present, while he has also hinted that were he to leave Florence a switch to Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk or a return to Dinamo Bucarest would be his preferred option. "Will I go to Manchester City? I don't think so," Mutu said. "At the moment I just want to have a successful second half of the season with Fiorentina. "Would I ever join up with Lucescu at Shakhtar? Yes, why not. I have always respected Mircea Lucescu and appreciated what he has done for my career. "However, I have promised that I will return to Dinamo Bucarest at the end of my career and I intend to keep that promise."