Roma Open Negotiations with Manchester City for Edin Dzeko

Roma's #DaretoDzeko campaign, their not-so-secret seduction of Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, has taken another incremental step down the path towards reality. As we've discussed all summer long, this rumor began as nothing more than a mutual admiration society between Dzeko and his Bosnian teammate and Roma superstar, Miralem Pjanic. Over the weeks, we've seen numerous multimillion dollar/euro/pound (I never know which one to default to) offers fill the rumors sheets, as well as the supposed inclusion of Adem Ljajic as a make weight, but none of them gained any real traction.

However, no longer content to sit idly on the sidelines, Walter Sabatini has begun actual negotiations and, much like they did thousands of years ago, the Romans will invade England, possibly as soon as next week. While Walter has reportedly been working the phones and doing the face-to-face thing in Milan with Dzeko's agent, Irfan Rezapagic, multiple sources are reporting that Sabatini plans to fly out to London next week to hopefully grease the wheels and get this transfer one step closer to reality. There is, however, one sticking point.

While Roma values Dzeko, or is at least starting their negotiations, at €15m, it appears as though City is firm in their desire to reap at least €20m (maybe even twenty million pounds) from Dzeko, particularly as they appear to be taking a hit on their Stevan Jovetic sale.

All of this makes for one hell of an interesting negotiation. While Dzeko desperately wants out of City (and Roma appears to be his lone and/or ideal locale), the petrol kings are under no obligation or duress to sell him; they can afford to float his salary for the remainder of his deal, no matter what they receive in actual on-the-pitch returns. Roma, on the other hand, having publicly stated their desire to obtain Dzeko, and with no plausible or affordable alternative, have little to no bargaining power, beyond hoping City runs out of patience and simply decides ‘fuck it', lets sell him.

Yes, I'm afraid that our entire summer transfer campaign hinges upon Manchester City either doing us a favor or simply getting bored.