Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko has been a regular visitor to a Bosnian patient dealing with a debilitating disease in a hospital in the city.

The 26-year-old was asked to come to the aid of 16-year-old Aner Zelic, who flew to the UK for surgery on a condition that affects the intestines, and showered the youngster with gifts, including a PSP handheld video games console, tickets to the Etihad Stadium and Man City memorabilia.

The frontman also made contact with a hospital in Bosnia to ensure that they were prepared for the return of the ill teen.

"When Aner came here he was terrified," the Daily Mail quotes surgeon David van Dellen as saying. "I thought it would be good to get someone from Bosnia to see him. I saw that Edin Dzeko was from there so I tried to arrange it only to be told he had already been coming to see him of his own accord.

"He has been exceptional. He was very reticent about publicity and just wanted what was best for the boy. I was very impressed with him. He was articulate, eloquent and he made sure that everything was okay with the hospital in Bosnia before Aner went back. He has made a huge difference."

Dzeko is thought to have also bought a mobile phone for Aner's mother so she could remain in contact with relatives back in Bosnia.