Džeko could prove just what Roma need

Roma have signed Bosnia and Herzegovina striker Edin Džeko from fellow UEFA Champions League contenders Manchester City on a one-year loan with a view to a permanent deal. UEFA.com explains why he could be the perfect fit for the Giallorossi.

What does Džeko offer?
The 29-year-old has scored 42 goals at international level. After making his name in the Czech Republic with Teplice, he joined Wolfsburg in 2007 and helped inspire their Bundesliga title triumph of 2008/09. In January 2011 he moved to England to play for City, securing two Premier League championships and an FA Cup. However, he leaves City after his most difficult Premier League campaign, in which he hit only four goals in 22 outings.

What do Roma need?
Roma came second behind Juve for the second consecutive season, but the Giallorossi did not improve as Rudi Garcia had hoped following an impressive first term in the Italian capital. Despite selling Medhi Benatia to Bayern München and losing fellow centre-back Leandro Castán to a health problem, Roma still managed to concede just six goals more than in 2013/14 – 31, up from 25 – yet they ended their Serie A campaign with 70 points, 15 fewer than their previous total, mostly because they struggled to score (54 as opposed to 72 goals 12 months earlier).

No Roma players reached double digits in terms of goals registered, Francesco Totti's haul of eight the highest, though Mattia Destro got five before switching to AC Milan in January. His replacement Seydou Doumbia notched only two. Džeko could thus be the answer to several of the Giallorossi's problems.

Why Džeko?
With their attacking game reliant on the pace of Gervinho and Juan Manuel Iturbe, Roma have struggled against teams that defend deep, denying space to wingers. The presence of a strong forward like Džeko in the box – with his aerial ability – could represent an important alternative. "I hope he will join Roma," Totti said earlier this summer. "He is a top player, he is amazing in the area and would definitely help us do better than last season."

Who will he link up with?
Another player praying for Džeko's arrival was his countryman Miralem Pjanić. "Edin is a great friend of mine, it would be great to have him here," the midfielder said. "We have talked a lot about our clubs. He is a very good player, but most of all he has a great character; he is a real winner. He has done well in every team he has played for."

Roma proved to be fragile last term and the need for players with strong personality was clear, especially when they struggled to react after losing 7-1 to Bayern in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Somebody with the international experience of Džeko could certainly help in this sense.

A new system?
Coach Garcia has mostly deployed a 4-3-3 formation during his first two seasons in Rome. The acquisition of Džeko may convince the Frenchman to adopt a 4-2-3-1 approach instead. Veteran attacker Totti, often fielded as a false nine by Garcia, could operate just behind Džeko in the new template, with Iturbe, Victor Ibarbo and newcomers Mohamed Salah and Iago Falqué all ready to play wide in the new template. Totti, who turns 39 in September, will not be able to play every game, although Pjanić – with his great instinct for killer passes – could fill that role when needed.