Edin Dzeko is due to link up with his Wolfsburg team-mates at a training camp after being told his dream move to AC Milan will not materialise.

The Bosnia-Herzegovina forward, who scored 26 goals in the Bundesliga last season, had been considered the Rossoneri's top transfer target this summer following Kaka's transfer to Real Madrid.

But although the player signalled his interest in moving to Italy, his club have blocked a move and now expect the 23-year-old report for pre-season training.

"I am staying in Wolfsburg," he told Italy's Sky Sport 24 television channel. "I am not happy, but I have got to respect my contract."

Dzeko still has two years left to run on his contract with the Wolves, who are more keen on offering him a new deal than negotiating a sale.

His devastating partnership with 28-goal Grafite last term made a major contribution to Wolfsburg clinching their first ever Bundesliga title and new coach Armin Veh is reluctant to break up such a successful strike duo.

"He is staying with us," confirmed Veh in the Tagesspiegel newspaper. "We are not under any pressure either. His contract still has two years left to run on it."

Veh believes it would also be in the player's best interests to stick around for at least one more year and prove last season was not just a one-off.

"I have seen players all too often disappear after such a transfer," he said. "My advice to him would be to stay at least one more year.

"He is a very good player, but he still needs time and a bit of harmony to develop further."

Milan had reportedly laid 20m euros on the table while there had also been talk of them including Italy striker Marco Borriello in a deal, but Wolfsburg stood firm.


[Soccernet]

Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko is has been dreaming of a move to AC Milan since the winter, according to his team-mate Zvjezdan Misimovic.

But Misimovic claims the Serie A giants are still to lodge a bid for the Bosnian, whose 26 goals last season inspired the Wolves to the title.

The Rossoneri have held talks with the Bundesliga side, but Wolfsburg coach Armin Veh, who has replaced Felix Magath at the VW-Arena, has stressed that Dzeko is not for sale.

His countryman Misimovic, though, said in an interview with Kicker: "We talk about Milan. He said half a year ago that they are his dream club.

"There still hasn't been an offer though. You don't get something like that every day. I can understand Edin, that he wants to move. I can also understand Wolfsburg. We need Edin's quality. It's my wish that he stays."

Dzeko is under contract with Wolfsburg until 2011 and Misimovic admits losing him would be a blow.

He added: "It would certainly be the wrong sign if we were to sell him. We have much in front of us, we are playing in the Champions League this year."

Midfielder Misimovic himself attracted interest with his displays last season, with one of his former clubs, Bayern Munich, reportedly among his admirers.

But the 27-year-old, who failed to make the grade at Bayern earlier in his career, insists he is happy to stay put.

He said: "I assume (I will be staying here). I have a contract here until 2012 and feel completely contented here. The rest, what enquiries there have been, does not interest me. That is a subject for my agent and the club."


[Soccernet]

Former VfB Stuttgart coach Armin Veh will take over from Felix Magath at champions VfL Wolfsburg, the club said on Sunday.

Veh, who led VfB Stuttgart to their 2007 title, would officially be presented on Monday, the club said.

Wolfsburg chairman Hans-Dieter Poetsch told ZDF television Veh would be the new coach late on Saturday, hours after the team had clinched their first Bundesliga title with a 5-1 win over Werder Bremen.

Magath, who will join Schalke 04 after a two-year spell at Wolfsburg, said Veh was a good choice.

"If you asked me I would have named Armin Veh. He produced outstanding work in Stuttgart. I think he is the right man," he told DSF television on Sunday.

Veh was sacked by Stuttgart in November 2008 after a poor run of results.

VfL Wolfsburg sealed their first Bundesliga title by demolishing Werder Bremen 5-1 on the final day of the season on Saturday.

Hundreds of fans poured on to the pitch at the final whistle, cheering and hugging the players and ripping the shirts off their backs, to celebrate a remarkable achievement for a team regarded as rank outsiders at the start of the season.

Bayern Munich, who went into the final round of matches two points behind, at least managed to clinch second spot, and automatic entry to the Champions League, thanks to a 2-1 win over direct rivals VfB Stuttgart, who finished third.

Stuttgart will go into Champions League qualifying, while Hertha Berlin and Hamburg SV will play in the new Europa League.

Arminia Bielefeld and Karlsruhe were relegated while Energie Cottbus will play a relegation play-off with the third best team of the second division.

Wolfsburg, holding that precious two-point advantage, ensured nerves would not be an issue as they roared into a 3-0 lead through Zvjezdan Misimovic, Grafite and an own goal from Sebastian Proedl.

Werder pulled one back through Diego before Grafite and Edin Dzeko sealed the title with two second half goals.

"It is a dream come true," Magath, who will be leaving to join Schalke next season, told Premiere. "Before the season started I never thought we had a chance to win the championship.

"It is hard to be leaving now, obviously," added a soaking Magath, who led Bayern Munich to successive league and cup doubles before being sacked by the Bavarians.

"I am not quite dry. We were in the locker room and there was quite a bit of champagne flying through the air."

More than 30,000 fans in the stands and on the pitch broke into songs when captain Josue lifted the Bundesliga shield to a clear blue sky.

Wolfsburg became the first team in the history of the Bundesliga to have two strikers score 20 goals or more in one season, with Grafite netting 28 times and Bosnian Dzeko 26.

"It is just insane," said Dzeko. "It is great feeling to be German champions. I did not think it was possible to win it in only my second year in Germany. We are going to do a lot of celebrating."

Bayern, who needed a slip-up by Wolfsburg to have any chance, managed to hold on to a 2-1 win against Stuttgart after an own goal by Khalid Boulahrouz and one from captain Mark van Bommel had put them in the lead. Mario Gomez pulled one back.

"We won four matches and had one draw. I think I fulfilled my mission," said interim Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, hired to salvage Champions League qualification after Juergen Klinsmann was sacked in late April.

"It is just a shame that we could not win the championship. This team has so much potential. Normally a team this good should win the title," Heynckes added.


[Soccernet]

VfL Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath has been around too long to just sit back and enjoy watching his players clinch their first Bundesliga title on Saturday with a win over Werder Bremen on the last matchday (1330 GMT).

With a two-point lead over record champions Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart going into the last match, a win will guarantee the Bundesliga title and even a draw or a defeat could be enough to clinch it.

Magath, used to success on the big stage as player and coach, is in no mood for early celebrations, however, demanding that his players keep their focus and close their eyes to the green-and-white decorations already on show in the city streets and squares.

"We are not yet sucking on the candy," Magath warned this week, after sending off Daniel Adlung during training for what the strict disciplinarian perceived as lack of commitment in practice.

"We must stay focused for another 90 minutes. If we play half as good as in the last two matches then it should be enough," Magath said.

It will be hard for Wolfsburg to actually lose the title in what has been the most gripping season finale in years.

With a near-perfect home record of 15 wins and a draw in 16 games, the match against Bremen, fresh from their UEFA Cup final defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk and ahead of the May 30 German Cup final, should be straightforward.

Even second-placed Bayern are now only hoping for a miracle, similar to the one in 2001 when a last-gasp goal against Hamburg SV won them the title as Schalke 04 were already celebrating.

This time, though, matters are not entirely in Bayern's hands.

The champions face Stuttgart (1330), direct competitors, who would be more than happy to settle for second place and win automatic Champions League qualification.

"I don't want to think about the title. Second spot is realistic even though we have a Herculean task," said Stuttgart coach Markus Babbel, a former Bayern player.

Stuttgart have salvaged what looked like a lost season, with Babbel taking over in late November and guiding them up the table. A win in Munich would be the crowning achievement of his first season as Bundesliga coach before even obtaining the proper coaching licence.

"The dice have been cast by 99.5 percent," Bayern General Manager Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said. "The title is in Wolfsburg's hands and I do not see them dropping it. If we are second after the game against Stuttgart we will be happy with the season."


[Reuters via Soccernet]

Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath knows his side have the potential to win the Bundesliga this season, just as long as they believe in their attacking style of play.

The Wolves bounced back from a 4-1 defeat at Stuttgart on Saturday to end Borussia Dortmund's seven-game winning streak last night with a 3-0 triumph at the VW-Arena and, although they were under pressure for much of the game, their top scorers Edin Dzeko and Grafite sprang from nowhere to decide it in their favour.

Dzeko took his tally for the season to 22 with his two goals while Grafite added his 24th goal of the season to move out alone at the top of the league's scoring charts.

And Magath believes this strength in attack can earn the Wolves their first ever Bundesliga crown.

"The decisive thing is that we attacked, which we did not do in Stuttgart where we were too passive," he said. "We have quality in our attack and, over time, that always shines through."

And this goalscoring potential may be what ultimately decides the title with Wolfsburg currently ahead of Bayern Munich only on goal difference.

Dzeko's second goal of the night in the 85th minute was therefore crucial as it restored the northern Germany side's two-goal advantage over Bayern, who almost simultaneously missed the chance to go 4-0 up against Bayer Leverkusen with Luca Toni missing a gilt-edged opportunity.

Should both Bayern and Wolfsburg win their last two games, the amount of goals they score could be decisive.

Wolfsburg have found the back of the net 70 times this season, conceding 40, while Bayern have scored 67 and let in 39.

Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath has revealed his impending switch to Bundesliga rivals Schalke was motivated by money.

Magath confirmed he would walk away from the Wolves at the end of the season having "reached all the goals" he set when he took over nearly two years ago.

The 55-year-old reached an agreement with Wolfsburg to terminate his contract a year early and has signed a four-year deal with Schalke from July 1.

Wolfsburg lead the Bundesliga by three points from Bayern Munich with four games remaining, but Magath happily concedes his head was turned by the approach from Schalke, a club with more tradition, ambition and, crucially, financial clout.

"We are in professional sport and it is all about money," Magath admitted. "Everything else is a load of tosh."

Magath is braced for a backlash over his decision from Wolfsburg fans, many of whom have expressed their disapproval on Internet forums.

The mood of the supporters may improve if Magath leaves the club as champions for the first time in their history, but even that prospect was not enough to make him stay, the coach admitting success would not have guaranteed his future at the club.

"Wolfsburg is not the first club I have taken forwards," he said. "But in the past, I have often been shoved out of the door after a successful start.

"From this experience, I no longer believe in promises that you can work long-term in football."

The Wolves travel to Stuttgart this weekend before facing Borussia Dortmund, Hannover and Werder Bremen in their remaining fixtures.


[Soccernet]