Man City flex muscles again to buy striker Dzeko

Manchester: Manchester City signed Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko from VfL Wolfsburg on Friday as the world’s richest club once again flexed their financial muscles to boost an assault on the Premier League title.

The 24-year-old has agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal, City said without disclosing the transfer fee although British media reported it was in the region of 30 million pounds ($46.34 million). Dzeko’s prolific scoring record in the Bundesliga has made him one of Europe’s most sought-after players. He finished top of the German league’s scoring charts last season with 22 goals and has 10 to his name this season playing for a mid-table team. “It has been a long time that I have been linked with the club going back to last summer but Wolfsburg did not want to sell me until today,” Dzeko told City’s website (www.mcfc.co.uk) after completing a medical. City, second in the league behind local rivals Manchester United, have already invested heavily in strike partners for Argentine Carlos Tevez but the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz have failed to establish themselves. Since being taken over by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi in 2008, the English club have spent more than 300 million pounds building a team. After posting a loss of 121.3 million pounds in 2009-10, City said they were planning to reduce their spending on players. Dzeko, who will wear the number 10 shirt, could make his debut at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Jan. 15. BEST CLUB After months of media speculation over a move to City, the striker said he was relishing the chance to help the club try to win their first league title since 1968. “Everybody speaks about City having lots of money but it is not about that. It is about ambition and I have spoken to coach (Roberto) Mancini and he told me, `this is the best club for you’,” said Dzeko. “City are playing for first place in the Premier League and that is what I want.” Dzeko said he was looking forward to teaming up with individuals like Tevez, who he has only seen on television, and Jerome Boateng and Vincent Kompany, both of whom he played against in the Bundesliga. “They will help me achieve my goal to be better in the future. I want to show the fans why the club paid that money for me. Everyone expects goals and I want to score them but most of all I want to contribute to a successful team,” he said. Boateng, who used to play for Hamburg SV, said his new team mate was a complete player. “Dzeko has everything,” he said. “He can shoot with his right foot, his left and can head the ball too. He is a very strong striker. He is a quality player. “He can hold the ball well and he knows how to move with his body. He has a good eye for goal.” Bureau Report