Edin Dzeko Transfer Rumours: Latest News on the Manchester City Star
Edin Dzeko is living proof that a football team can never have enough strikers.
Manchester City have played 16 Premier League games thus far. Dzeko has started only five of them. Perhaps more disconcerting for the big Bosnian is that he has made only five appearances as a substitute.
In that limited playing time, Dzeko has managed only three Premier League goals. To put that in perspective, David Silva has scored four goals in just eight starts.
Despite Dzeko's inability to crack City's XI—under this manager or the last one—fiery interest in Dzeko from other sides rages on as the January transfer window inches ever nearer.
Ironically, Sergio Aguero's recent calf injury might serve the counterintuitive purpose of pushing Dzeko toward the exit door.
Per a report in The Telegraph, City boss Manuel Pellegrini said that Aguero "will be, at least, one month out."
Aguero's knock is likely to mean increased run for Dzeko. If Dzeko scores a handful of goals in the month that Aguero is out, his suitors will notice.
Dzeko to Spurs?
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The most recent rumor putting Dzeko in a different shirt come January is from the Daily Star.
It is certainly not that far-fetched to suppose that Tottenham Hotspur might be after Dzeko in January.
Spurs are currently seventh in the Premier League table with 27 points. They would be sixth in the table, except Newcastle United have scored six more goals than Spurs in the league thus far.
That's not saying much. Spurs have scored 15 goals in 16 Premier League games. As a team.
Liverpool lightning rod Luis Suarez leads the Premier League with 17 goals.
So it makes perfect sense that Spurs would look to add a striker. The only trouble with the Daily Star report is its reliance on one man.
"Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas is keen to recruit the goal-getter and is poised to make a move next month...AVB will ship out strikers Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor if he can draft in a new hitman–and Dzeko fits the bill," reported the Daily Star this past Sunday.
By Monday, the only things AVB was set to ship out were resumes.
Dzeko to Roma?
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Graeme Yorke of the Daily Mail has the latest report on Dzeko potentially moving to Serie A.
This speculation is fueled by comments recently made by Dzeko's colleague on the Bosnian national team headed for World Cup 2014, Roma midfield wizard Miralem Pjanic.
"Here in Italy he would be very good," said Pjanic. "Of course, he belongs to Manchester City but I do not know how long for."
Such a move is certainly not unheard of. Just last season, former City striker Mario Balotelli made his way to AC Milan. Balotelli has six goals and two assists in 10 Serie A starts for Milan this season.
Not that Dzeko is the player Balotelli is—he's not.
Just that Roma probably would not hold Dzeko's inconsistency at Manchester City against him.
Dzeko to Liverpool?
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Why would Liverpool want to sell Luis Suarez now? And, of all clubs, to Manchester City?
That has to be the impulse reaction to the Bill Mann report in The Week that has Manchester City sending Dzeko and £40 million to Liverpool for the Premier League's leading scorer.
"Apparently the Sky Blues—who (recently) sensationally beat Bayern 3-2 in Munich—will offer Liverpool £40m plus Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko in exchange for the Uruguayan hitman," Mann speculated.
This is beyond far-fetched.
Arsenal sold Robin van Persie to Manchester United—in the summer.
Liverpool are second in the Premier League table after 16 league matches. Suarez is Reason No. 1 why. And Reason No. 2. And Reason No. 3. And so on.
Besides, ask Tottenham Hotspur how it turns out when you sell your best player for what seems like a great return. Better yet, don't.
Dzeko to Arsenal?
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Dzeko-to-Arsenal stories are like a persistent rash—they are really annoying but they just won't go away.
Two weeks ago, the Manchester City manager did everything but handcuff himself to Dzeko in denying any interest in moving him. Especially to league-leading Arsenal.
Per Jamie Sanderson in the Metro, Pellegrini's response to a question about Dzeko possibly being sold was "no, that is not the case."
Pellegrini continued: "It is very important for this club to have a good squad because we have a lot of games to play from now until April and, if we want to win trophies, we need important players."
Did he see the Sergio Aguero injury coming, or what?
Regardless, do not tell Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail that Dzeko-to-Arsenal is dead.
Mokbel's recent report on the strikers pinging Arsenal's radar included the observation that "Fernando Llorente at Juventus and Edin Dzeko at Manchester City also feature on the list, but Arsenal know those signings will be difficult for various reasons."
So you're saying there's a chance!
One Place Dzeko Is Not Going Is Bayern Munich
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Dzeko may someday leave Manchester City for the Bundesliga, as recently observed by my Bleacher Report colleague Rob Pollard in the Mirror, but do not look for him to go to Bayern Munich any time soon.
"City had two attackers who—and I exaggerate a bit—sat in their deckchairs on the halfway line when we were in possession," Bayern midfielder Thomas Muller chuffed after his side's 3-1 victory at the Etihad in October, according to Steve Millar of the Daily Star.
"No attacker is allowed to do that at Bayern or in the Germany team," Muller further grandstanded.
Perhaps Muller should have expended himself a bit more when City's second string came back from two goals down to beat the Champions League trophy holders at the Allianz last week.
In any event, Dzeko hears enough about his laconic outlook on football from the English press.
Germany is about the last place a diffidence-prone striker ought to go.
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