First-team football at Manchester City is a commodity to all bar a rare, gifted few – something that hotshot forward Edin Džeko has found out over a number of seasons at the Etihad Stadium.
The Bosnia international has agreed a deal to take him to Italian side Roma for the forthcoming campaign, with a loan deal having the potential to materialise into a permanent switch should he excel at the Stadio Olimpico.
There is every chance that Džeko will be a resounding success at the Serie A side, with the powerful forward craving a prolonged run in a major team to show his worth.
At Wolfsburg the eastern European targetman was lethal; at City it felt like he was never properly trusted and struggled to pin down a consistent place in the Citizens’ starting XI, largely due to the presence of the effervescent Sergio Agüero.
That said, over the course of four-and-a-half years at City, Džeko scored a significant amount of important goals; as such his role in the club’s recent successes should not be overlooked.
On that fateful day that Agüero scored the winner against QPR to claim City’s first title in the Premier League era, although the Argentine is lauded as the hero, Džeko also came off the bench to net.
Surely the general consensus amongst the Etihad Stadium faithful regarding the forward is one of positivity, with City farming out a player of considerable ability.
The January acquisition of Wilfried Bony was effectively the end of Džeko’s time at the club, with the preconceived decision that the battering ram Ivorian would become Agüero’s deputy.
Raheem Sterling, who is versatile enough to play anywhere along the forward line, also brings options in the final third for Manuel Pellegrini – adequate enough to allow both Džeko and the unlucky Stevan Jovetić to leave the club this summer.
Roma have landed a player that has the potential to take the capital city side to the next level, but his success with the Giallorossi will depend on regular time on the pitch.
This may well not be straight forward, as a number of gifted strikers have not lived up to their potential with Rudi García’s men of late due to the evergreen presence of club legend Francesco Totti.
Seydou Doumbia, who promised so much after joining the Serie A club, has been returned to sender, with the African attacker heading back to CSKA Moscow after only scoring two goals.
Supremely gifted forward Mattia Destro could well have been the man to replace Totti in the long run, but the Italy international has seemingly run out of patience after not being selected as first choice for the Giallorossi.
After been sent out on loan to AC Milan last season, who have since strengthened in the position and no longer need him, the 24-year-old looks likely to leave for good before the window closes.
In García’s bespoke 4-3-3 system, one central striker is supported from the flanks by versatile attackers such as Gervinho and Juan Iturbe.
With Totti nor Džeko obviously not prepared to play in one of the wide roles, it appears that it could be a straight shoot-out between the veteran and the new signing for the number nine jersey if García is to stick with the current formation.
All-in-all, Džeko’s time at City appears to have run its course and a change could well be the decision to reinvigorate this lethal marksman.
Roma are set to benefit, but coach García needs to find a happy balance with the emblematic Totti to avoid ostracising the new man like has happened with a number of others.
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