Personal information
Full name: Edin Dzeko
Date of birth: 17 March 1986 (age 27)
Place of birth: Sarajevo, SFR Yugoslavia
Height: 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position: Striker
Club information
Current club: Manchester City
Number: 10
Youth career
1996–2003: Zeljeznicar
Senior career
2003–2005 Zeljeznicar 41 Appearances, 5 goals
2005–2007 Teplice 45 Appearances, 16 goals
2005 → Ustinad Labem (loan) 15 Appearances, 6 goals
2007–2011 VfL Wolfsburg 111 Appearances, 66 goals
2011– Manchester City 135 Appearances, 57 goals
National team
2003–2004 Bosnia and Herzegovina U19 5 Appearances, 0 goals
2006–2007 Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 5 Appearances, 1 goals
2007– Bosnia and Herzegovina 58 Appearances, 33 goals
Edin Dzeko became Roberto Mancini’s ninth signing when the Bosnian striker moved to the City of Manchester from Wolfsburg on a five-year deal in January 2011.
Dzeko, who had scored 10 goals for Wolfsburg in 17 Bundesliga matches that season, was a target for some of Europe’s leading clubs.
He’s signing was seen as a significant statement of intent for City’s league title ambitions.
Dzeko was born on March 17, 1986 in Sarajevo, a city in turmoil and under siege during the break-up of the old Yugoslavia, when Edin was only six.
Now a prolific striker, he actually began his playing career at local side FK Zeljeznicar as a midfielder.
But when he moved to FK Teplice in the Czech league, Dzeko finished top scorer for the 2006-07 season with 13 goals from 30 appearances.
He moved to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg in the summer of 2007 for €4million and made an immediate impact with five goals in 11 games, helping the club to fifth place and a UEFA Cup spot.
But his second season was exceptional. Dzeko formed a potent partnership with Brazilian Grafite, scoring 26 out of the duo’s record-breaking 54 goals as Wolfsburg won their first league title.
A further 10 goals in domestic and European cup competitions clinched the 2008-09 German Footballer of the Year award. Dzeko was also nominated for the 2009 Ballon d’Or, won by Lionel Messi.
The striker, who was made a UNICEF ambassador in November 2009, became the highest league scorer in Wolfsburg’s history.
He scored 66 goals in 111 Bundesliga matches and 84 times in all competitions.
Dzeko has represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at all levels, impressing on his senior debut with a volleyed goal in a 2-2 draw against Turkey in June 2008, and has gone on to score 33 times in his 58 international appearances.
While he just missed out on the World Cup finals in 2010 – Bosnia and Herzegovina lost in the play-offs to Portugal – Dzeko still finished the qualifying campaign as joint second-top scorer with nine goals.
Once his move from Wolfsburg to City was completed, it did not take Dzeko long to look at home in English football.
He linked up superbly with Carlos Tevez to set up Yaya Toure’s goal in his first game for City, an exciting win over Wolves, and then opened his account for the Citizens in just his third outing to salvage a draw with Notts County in the FA Cup.
Dzeko went on to weigh in with a vital 14 goals in 30 appearances in the 2011/12 season, including the 92nd minute equaliser against QPR on the final day which sent City on their way to the title.
In 2012/13, Dzeko was City’s top-scorer with 15 goals in 44 appearances and he was also named Bosnian Football of the Year in 2011 and 2012.
This season has been difficult after losing his place in the starting line-up to Alvaro Negredo.
However, Edin Dzeko has been back in the mix in recent games and his current form proves why.
Sergio Aguero will also be out for at least a month, providing Dzeko with the chance to stake his claim in the starting 11.
Dzeko has stated he is hopeful he can score whilst the Argentine is out. He said: “Sergio has had an amazing season, scoring a lot of goals, and he is an important player for us.
That’s life, and now we have to try to play games without him, and try to win.
This is very bad for the team but there are a lot of players who want to play.
I am happy to score that’s my job. I hope it means I am back among the goals.
When I’m playing, I’m trying always to score goals.
I am a striker that has scored goals all my life and I love to do it.
When I get a chance I try to do my best. We have a superb squad and recently have scored a lot of goals.”
Dzeko’s defenders point to his goalscoring record – 57 in 135 games for City since his 2011 move—as reason to put him in the side, but the role of a striker requires much more than just scoring goals.
The Bosnian has a tendency to give defenders an easy ride, rarely using his physicality as a way of causing the opposition problems.
Too often Dzeko follows up a good performance with a poor one, a frustrating pattern which has characterised much of his City career.
He cost the club £27 million and has rarely looked capable of justifying the fee.
However, Aguero’s injury may well offer him one last crack at proving his quality and earning himself a regular place in the side. He simply has to take it.