Former Atalanta striker Zlatan Muslimovic has praised Inter’s Edin Dzeko, and stated that despite his age the former Roma man can still make a major impact for the Nerazzurri.
Speaking to Italian news outlet L’Interista, the 40-year-old spoke positively of his fellow Bosnian striker, and gave the view that he would be exactly the addition needed Inter.
Dzeko arrived from Roma last month as the first major attacking arrival following the departure of Romelu Lukaku, and so far he has made a positive impression in his first two matches in Serie A with the club.
The 35-year-old has developed a strong reputation in Italy since joining the Giallorossi from Manchester City in the summer of 2015, including being Serie A’s top scorer during the 2016-17 season.
Dzeko is no longer a young player, but he represents a highly reliable option and so far has added the qualities that the Nerazzurri had hoped that he would bring when they signed him.
“He is a perfect player for Inter,” Muslimovic said of the Inter striker. “He’s the only player in Italy who could replace Lukaku.”
“With all due respect to Romelu,” he went on, “Edin is a great champion. Wherever he’s gone he’s always done well, scoring a lot. His teams have always achieved great results.”
On the relationship on the pitch between his countryman and Nerazzurri striker Lautaro Martinez, he stated that “Lautaro and Dzeko can find great harmony. Edin easily adapts to all situations and companions.”
“Not only in attack,” he continued, “he easily adapts to all the players around him, helping them to play better. He can score goals or create chances from nothing. He and Lautaro can form a great attacking duo.”
On his memories of playing alongside Dzeko for Bosnia and Herzegovina against Turkey, Muslimovic said, “He appeared for the national team against Turkey exactly as he has with Inter – great. He was paired with me – I scored the first goal, he scored the second.”
He described Dzeko’s goal as “An amazing goal from outside the box, placing it in the top corner where the goalkeeper Rustu could only watch.”
“I was struck by him that he was a great person,” Muslimovic said, “a real gentleman both on and off the pitch. As for the pitch, he knew how to do everything – dribble, jump. He’s a complete player and it’s very easy to play alongside him.”
“Many players who play with him score many more goals than they normally do in their career,” he explained of Dzeko’s impact on his teammates.
Muslimovic added, “In addition to the goals that he scores himself, he is a striker of great overall quality, famous all over the world. Inter really made a great signing.”
“Edin is a very important player off the pitch as well, a true leader,” he said. “In all situations, even the heaviest ones, he gets the most out of himself, he is ready, he doesn’t ever give up, he leads by example.”
He elaborated that “If his teammates need help he senses it on the fly and is already there to assist them. A great person and a great footballer.”
“All teams with someone like Edin would aim for the Scudetto,” the former striker said of Dzeko’s impact on the Nerazzurri’s pursuit of another Scudetto. “With someone like him on the pitch you always aim to win, even in the Champions League. It’s a certainty: he definitely scores 15-20 goals a year.”
He referred to Dzeko as “one of the top ten strikers in the world.
“Edin has never had problems from the point of view of mental strength or character,” he stated. “It happens to a player sometimes that they are unable to score a goal. In Edin, however, this never happens.”
He clarified, “Rather, it happened only once and we always talk about that period at Roma. But it happens to everyone. It’s normal and this has nothing to do with his strength of character.”
Muslimovic concluded that “Even physically he is durable – he has almost never gotten hurt in recent years. He has often gone on the pitch with the ‘open’ mind, gives 110% and never gives up. He will contribute a lot to Inter and they can aim to win anything with him.”
