Mancini hails City strike force

Roberto Mancini believes the arrival of Edin Dzeko gives Manchester City one of the most potent attacks in Europe.

The 24-year-old will join the likes of Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli, David Silva and Adam Johnson up front at Eastlands as City go in search of their first league title since 1968.

It cost City 27 million pounds to lure the Bosnian from German club Wolfsburg, but Mancini believes it was money well spent.

“With the other strikers, we can now have one of the best attacks in Europe,” said Mancini.

“We want to build a better team and we have bought a good forward. Edin is a young player. He has a good mentality. I followed him for two years and now he is one of the best strikers in Europe.”

“He has many qualities and a good attitude. He is a strong player, who has experience, even though he is only young. This is important because it means he can play at a big team with all the other players.”

Dzeko’s arrival at the club could signal the end of fellow strikers Roque Santa Cruz and Emmanuel Adebayor’s time at Eastlands, although no deal has yet been done for either player.

“For Roque it is possible,” said Mancini. “He is a good guy and he deserves to play. But with Emmanuel I don’t know. We must wait and see.”

Dzeko could be ready to line up for City as soon as Saturday’s visit by Wolves, and Mancini believes the 24-year-old will have no problems adapting to life in the English Premier League.

“It is possible he could play against Wolves,” said Mancini. “He has just come from the mid-season break in Germany but he is in good shape. But we have three games in a week, so he will have a chance to play at some point.”

“Dzeko scored a lot of goals in Germany and I am sure he can continue that here. I realise the Premier League is different from the other leagues, but if a striker scores goals in Germany or Italy, he can also get them in England.”