Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko has capped a dream start to the new Barclays Premier League season by signing a new four-year contract with the club.
Dzeko dazzled in his side's opening day win at Newcastle on Sunday after which boss Manuel Pellegrini made no secret of the player's importance to the team.
After agreeing a deal which will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until at least 2018, Dzeko said it had never crossed his mind to angle for a big-money move elsewhere.
Dzeko told City's official website: "I'm really happy here at City - it's a second home to me so it was an easy decision to stay for the long-term.
"I knew from the beginning when I started here that I wanted to stay for a long time - I can't see any place better than here.
"I'm settled perfectly to life here, I know my team-mates, the club, the team, very well and I feel like I can improve even more.
"Over the last three-and-a-half years we've made history together but I feel like we are only at the start of something really special.
"There are still so many objectives and goals that I want to reach from my career in the game and I believe I am in the perfect place to achieve them all."
The 28-year-old Dzeko has made a big impression at City since his £27million move from Wolfsburg in January 2011.
He has scored 66 goals for City and none more vital than the equaliser against QPR on the last day of the 2011/12 season which paved the way for Sergio Aguero to make history with an injury-time title-winning goal.
Despite a disappointing World Cup campaign with Bosnia, Dzeko scored the winner in the final group game against Iran.
And he got City's season up and running on Sunday with a superb back-heel to set up the opener for David Silva at St James's Park.
