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Wolfsburg coach Lorenz Gunther Kostner has called on star striker Edin Dzeko to end speculation about a summer move to Chelsea or Manchester City by committing his future to the club ahead of Thursday's crunch Europa League clash with Fulham.
Last season the Bosnia striker scored 26 goals in 29 league starts to help fire Wolfsburg to their first Bundesliga title in history.
The 24-year-old pledged his future to the Wolves last summer by signing a new contract and rejecting overtures from Serie A giants AC Milan.
The striker has repaid the faith shown in him by the German side by scoring 18 league goals to help rescue Wolfsburg's faltering league campaign.
Rumours of a summer transfer to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have surfaced recently, and Dzeko has said he would be keen to join a Barclays Premier League side at the end of the season.
Kostner admits he is unsure whether Dzeko will stay at the Volkswagen Arena, but he admits he is desperate for the striker to remain at the club.
"Edin Dzeko will finish the season a Wolfsburg player, that's for definite, whatever happens after that is down to rumours," said Kostner.
"Edin Dzeko saying he will stay would be an absolutely huge sign for us. I can't tell you how important that would be for us, but that's neither here nor there. Right now we have to wait to see what happens in May.
"As his manager I can't have much influence on whether he stays or not. All I can say at the moment is that he is on absolute top form. He's really firing on all cylinders. He's doing fantastic."
Dzeko will line up alongside his Brazilian counterpart Grafite against the Cottagers as they look to overturn a 2-1 deficit from last week's first leg at Craven Cottage.
Fulham had looked to be coasting towards their first Europa League semi-final after opening the scoring courtesy of goals from Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff.
Alexander Madlung's last-minute header gave the German side a vital away goal though and Kostner has called on his team to give their all to set up a last four tie with either Hamburg or Standard Liege.
"Before the game in Fulham I said that we'd need two excellent performances to get through," the 58-year-old said.
"We didn't give them two weak goals in the first leg but we made life easier for them by not concentrating for the two goals.
"Madlung's goal gives us a good chance now but what we need to do is to be determined. We have to have the will, be determined to give an absolutely excellent performance."
The Wolfsburg manager has been boosted by the news that captain Josue and key defender Madlung should be fit for Thursday's clash after overcoming hamstring injuries.
Duff, meanwhile, is hoping to bury his memories of World Cup heartbreak by guiding Fulham to Europa League glory.
Duff's hopes of making his second appearance at a World Cup finals were dashed in November after Thierry Henry's handball helped France seal a 2-1 aggregate play-off win over the Republic of Ireland.
The Cottagers' winger lashed out at officials for failing to notice Henry's foul afterwards, but he admits his bad memories have been put to the back of his mind, partly due to Fulham's European success this year.
Roy Hodgson's side have gone on an incredible run in the Europa League this season.
They have accounted for the likes of UEFA Cup champions Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus to make the quarter finals, and Duff admits he is desperate for the Cottagers to end the season by lifting the trophy.
"Will winning the Europa League make up for losing out on the World Cup? Yes, that and more," the 31-year-old said.
"It has been an amazing journey, and in a way that night in Paris is a distant memory now.
"We've played so many games since then and they seem to be getting bigger and bigger. To get to a final and win would be just unbelievable."
A thigh injury to Clint Dempsey has left Hodgson short of attacking options at the Volkswagen Arena.
Zamora is struggling with an Achilles injury while David Elm has not travelled with the squad after going to hospital to have checks on the recurrence of a virus he picked up in Turin last month.
Zamora trained on Wednesday night but if he misses out Hodgson will have to pair midfielder Zoltan Gera with veteran striker Erik Nevland up front.
Source: DSG
