Man City `offer 35 mln euros for Dzeko`

BERLIN: Manchester City have offered 35 million euros (29.8 million pounds, 45.9 million dollars) for Wolfsburg`s Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko, Germany`s Bild daily reported on Wednesday.

In what Bild said would be a record price for a Bundesliga player, the English club would pay the Germans 30 million euros for the 24-year old plus five million euros more if City reach the Champions League. The transfer could be finalised in time for City`s crunch away clash at Arsenal on January 5, Bild added, without identifying a source. The paper cited Wolfsburg`s general manager Dieter Hoeness as declining to comment on what he called "speculation". Wolfsburg are currently 13th in the table, having gone seven Bundesliga games without a win, putting their coach -- former England manager Steve McClaren -- under severe pressure. Roberto Mancini`s City, by contrast, are riding high, level on points with Manchester United at the top of the Premier League, although they are behind on goal difference and Sir Alex Ferguson`s side have two games in hand.Earlier this month, Dzeko, who is Wolfsburg`s captain, refused to shake McClaren`s hand when he was substituted after missing a crucial penalty in the 77th minute of a goalless draw with Werder Bremen. Other top-rank European clubs have also been linked with the striker, including Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus as well as under-performing Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich. AFP