Manchester City have turned down the chance to sign Roma striker Edin Dzeko in the January transfer window.
Dzeko, 34, spent five years at the Etihad and won Premier League titles under both Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini before moving to Serie A side Roma in 2016.
Pep Guardiola hinted earlier this season that City's decision not to sign a striker in the last transfer window may have been a mistake, and the team have had to manage without Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus for long stretches of the current campaign.
However, the players have found their form in recent months. The Blues top the Premier League table after seven consecutive wins and have scored 30 goals during their 11-match winning run in all competitions.
Roma are open to offloading Dzeko this month and it was made known to City that the striker was available if they were interested. But the club have decided against bringing back the Bosnian Diamond, content instead to see out the season with the current squad.
Guardiola has always suggested that there would be no major deals in this transfer window, although a striker is being targeted as a priority in summer.
A decision is still to be made on Aguero's contract - his deal runs out in summer and the club's record goalscorer has struggled with injuries for eight months - while Jesus has by his own admission had a difficult campaign. The club have the funds to sign Lionel Messi should he be available on a free transfer, while Dortmund striker Erling Haaland has also commanded attention with his prolific record continuing at Dortmund.
