Edin Dzeko dismisses speculation about leaving Roma: 'My future is here, but there should be more balance'.
The 30-year-old did not impress the way that people hoped in his first year with the Giallorossi, but it seems the club is not going to sell him yet.
On from Coach Luciano Spalletti's defence of the player, Dzeko himself confirmed he did not intend to leave.
Edin Dzeko dismisses speculation about leaving Roma: 'My future is here, but there should be more balance'.
The 30-year-old did not impress the way that people hoped in his first year with the Giallorossi, but it seems the club is not going to sell him yet.
On from Coach Luciano Spalletti's defence of the player, Dzeko himself confirmed he did not intend to leave.
“My future is with Roma, the talk is only speculation,” he told Il Corriere dello Sport. “I'm thinking about doing my job. If I wanted to leave Roma I'd have done that as early as January. I'm training, but Spalletti will decide whether I start.
“The departure of [Miralem] Pjanic changes nothing. I chose Roma regardless of the people I was going to find. Miralem's presence was an extra reason to accept the offer, but I knew we wouldn't always play together. I understand there's a rivalry with Juventus, but it's not like he went to Lazio.
“Yes, of course I'd like to be coached by [Jose] Mourinho, he's among the best in the world. But I belong to Roma.”
The Bosnian then went on to discuss the club's objectives as Serie A becomes increasingly dominated by Juventus.
“Football is a strange sport, the favourites don't always win. Firstly, it's going to be fundamental for us to make it into the Champions League in August. After that, things are going to get smoother.
“It's understandable that there should be criticism when a player doesn't do well. What I don't understand is this continuous up and down, you're a phenomenon one day and trash the next. There should be greater balance.
“Me, not a poacher? I'll answer honestly. If I were the type of player who scores 50 goals per season, then I expect I'd cost €80m and Roma wouldn't have signed me.
“The best striker? [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, he's at the top even at the age of 35.
“Here in Rome people go crazy for football, but it's not an easy place to play in. I feel that the majority of the fans are still behind me.
“I don't like it when people think that we have an easy life. Reaching certain objectives is difficult. We work hard and make enormous, stressful sacrifices.
“People often think about the comfort provided by money, but not about the hard work behind it. If becoming rich by playing football were easy, then everyone would do it.”