Football
Richard Jolly, ESPN.com writer 9y

Edin Dzeko could leave Man City amid Roma interest - Manuel Pellegrini

Manuel Pellegrini has admitted that Manchester City could sell Roma target Edin Dzeko.

Dzeko has emerged as a target for the Serie A runners-up, with captain Francesco Totti urging the Giallorossi to buy the Bosnia-Herzegovina international.

Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini was seen boarding a plane for Manchester and City are reportedly holding out for a £20 million fee in negotiations.

Dzeko has gone on City's preseason tour of Australia but neither he nor Stevan Jovetic, who is also attracting interest from Italy, have featured in the matches against Melbourne City and Roma.

And Pellegrini said in a news conference: "Edin didn't play the last game as it's not clear if he will continue here but he is still working here with the whole squad."

Dzeko fell out of favour last season when he only scored two goals in his last 23 appearances and was an unused substitute in City's final six games of the campaign.

But the former Wolfsburg striker, who cost them £27 million in 2011, has three years left on the lucrative contract extension he signed in 2014.

City face Real Madrid in Melbourne on Friday in the International Champions Cup and Pellegrini revealed that Fabian Delph will make his debut for the club.

The former Aston Villa captain was an £8 million signing and flew out to Australia after the majority of the squad while other later arrivals, such as David Silva, Joe Hart and Eliaquim Mangala, are set to feature more prominently after appearing in the 2-2 draw with Roma.

Pellegrini explained: "I think that the senior players will have more minutes than the last game and I think Delph will be involved."

The Chilean managed Real in the 2009-10 season and added: "It's always special to play against Real Madrid, especially because of the way the fans supported me when I left there."

^ Back to Top ^