Fiorentina coach Paulo Sousa says he is counting on Mario Gomez to lead his attack this season amid growing interest in the German forward from Besiktas and Galatasaray.
Gomez, 30, is La Viola's biggest earner, yet he has been beset by injury during his time in Florence and made just 47 appearances in two years, scoring 14 goals.
Last term he managed four goals in 20 Serie A outings and there had been talk of Fiorentina cutting their losses this summer.
Both Besiktas and Galatasaray have made moves but Gomez appears intent on paying the Serie A club back for the continued faith they have shown in him -- a stance that new coach Sousa also is also taking.
"He's working really hard and he's a key player for us," the Portuguese coach told Mediaset television after Gomez drew a blank in a preseason friendly against Hungarian side Gyor. "He is our player and we want to put him in condition to do what he does best.
"He presses and fights, even off the field. While he is here with us, we will do all we can to get the best out of him for the good of the team. He went close to scoring and he's looking good."
Former Basel coach Sousa hopes to be able to count on both Gomez and Giuseppe Rossi to lead his attack this season, although both have struggled with injuries in the past.
"Rossi's working hard and if everything goes according to plan, he will be able to get a few minutes against Carpi," Sousa added.