New Wolfsburg coach Steve McClaren has vowed to fight "tooth and nail" to keep Bosnia-Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko at the club.
The 24-year-old frontman has been linked with a move away from the Bundesliga outfit for some time, with AC Milan and Real Madrid reportedly among the interested parties.
McClaren, who has taken up the Wolves post after guiding FC Twente to the Dutch title last term, accepts Dzeko's future is out of Wolfsburg's hands at the moment but the Englishman is keen to see the player stay put.
"At the present moment we're not in control of it," McClaren told Sky Sports News.
"He's got a clause in his contract where he can go for a set fee before Monday. After Monday, if nothing happens, we take a little bit more control over the situation and we can dictate it a little bit more.
"He's a world-class striker and we don't want to lose him.
"We're fighting tooth and nail to keep him.
"If we want to be successful we have to keep our best player, as every team does."
McClaren admitted it had been a wrench to leave Holland after two successful seasons in Enschede.
"It was very difficult after a great two years I had there, finishing second in the first year and then unbelievably winning the championship was a great experience.
"It's a great club with great people, but I felt the time was right.
"I said to my family that I'd go away for two years and the two years was up. This job gives me the opportunity to get the family back together.
"Once I met the people behind the scenes, I accepted within one or two days."
