Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko has offered his support to team-mate Alvaro Negredo, who is set to be sidelined for several months after fracturing his metatarsal.
The Spain international took to social media site Twitter to announce that he expects to miss the first chunk of the defending Premier League champions’ season due to the injury.
Bosnia hitman Dzeko, who often partnered the ex-Sevilla man up front last term, used the site to back his friend.
He said: “Keep your head up pal @_AlvaroNegredo_ I’m sure you’ll come back stronger than ever.. This team needs you! @MCFC.”
Manager Manuel Pellegrini is left with injury-prone duo Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic, as well as Dzeko, who ended last term in excellent form.
A source close to the Etihad Stadium told Football Express News Pellegrini intends to deploy a two-striker system in his side as often as possible, and he would like to have four established forwards on which to call.
Negredo’s alarming dip in form in the second half of the 2013-14 season – he failed to score after January 21 – had already prompted City to assess their options.
According to LeSport10, ‘super agent’ Jorge Mendes is anxious to find his client Falcao a new club during the summer transfer window and has identified Pellegrini’s team as prime candidates.
The report reveals that Mendes has a good working relationship with City and has already made contact with the club to sound out the idea of the Monaco man joining the club.