Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko can expect little respite in his battle to justify his £27 million price-tag.
With Carlos Tevez still at the club and City continuing to work on a deal for another Argentina striker, Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero, life will be no easier for Dzeko as he endeavours to make Roberto Mancini's team.
"I was new in the team and it was a hard season. It's always difficult to come to a club midway through a season like that," he told the Daily Mail.
"But still I think I had some good games and scored some important goals. Carlos is a great player. It would be a loss for us if he left. There's always competition in football.
"I don't think about that, though because I know what I can do.
"I think I train very well. I just want the season to start now. Anyway, it's important that we have a lot of players. don't know how many players we need but you need two good teams.
"It will be difficult because we're playing for the Premier League, in the Champions League for the first time and the FA Cup and Carling Cup, and there's the national team.
"We play every three days. But I love to play. It's better than when we're just training."
