The 26-year-old decided to join Fiorentina on a season-long loan deal after 12 years with Manchester City.
Micah Richards was said to have been in talks with Sunderland and West Ham before he decided to move to Fiorentina
Manchester City had reportedly told the former England defender he could leave after he refused to sign a new contract that would have seen him take a significant drop on his £65,000-a-week wages.
Fiorentina are thought to have a £4.7m option to buy at the end of this season.