Roma striker Edin Dzeko has turned down a move to Southampton as the Premier League outfit do not quite meet his sporting needs, as reported by Il Romanista.
This feels a little harsh on Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Saints.
After 18 games, the South Coast club are within touching distance of reigning champions Liverpool in fourth spot. And, since the turn of the year, one of England’s most watchable and well-coached sides have defeated Jurgen Klopp’s Merseyside giants while knocking Arsenal out of the FA Cup.
But Dzeko obviously feels he can aim a little higher than St Mary’s.
Il Romanista suggests that the Bosnia international would only join a top-tier club if he brings an end to a prolific spell at Roma this month, following a high-profile fall-out with Giallorossi coach Paulo Fonseca.
As such, Dzeko has given short shrift to a potential switch to Southampton and West Ham.
Inter Milan were hoping to strike a swap deal involving Christian Erisken but his £130,000-a-week wages are also proving to be a problem.
In this COVID-afflicted environment, you won’t find many clubs willing to hand a 34-year-old striker a contract worth almost £7 million a year.
With Dzeko resisting offers from Southampton and West Ham, perhaps a fitting comparison can be drawn with Mario Mandzukic. The veteran Croatian rejected Aston Villa before jumping at the chance to join Serie A leaders AC Milan (DiMarzio).
Maybe, as he enters the autumn of his career, Dzeko only wants to join a club where he could add to his enviable collection of silverware.
Dzeko lifted the Premier League title twice at Manchester City and also fired Wolfsburg to Bundesliga glory in 2009.
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