Manchester United Transfer News: Staggering Zlatan Ibrahimovic Terms Rumoured
Manchester United have reportedly entered talks to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a £600,000-a-week deal this summer as rumours continue to circulate regarding Jose Mourinho's potential Old Trafford takeover.
Ibrahimovic's Paris Saint-Germain contract expires this summer, and Italian daily Corriere dello Sport reported United are "happy to pay" the astronomical fee due to their target being available on a free (h/t Mirror's Aaron Flanagan).
The Red Devils are described as "favourites" to land the Swede and make him the world's best-paid player when he cuts ties with PSG at the end of this season. But a move could depend on whether incumbent Louis van Gaal keeps his place at the helm.
The Independent's Simon Rice reported Mourinho is "confident" he'll assume the United hot seat this summer, but Bleacher Report's Clark Whitney has suggested he and Ibrahimovic could make for a volatile mix.
The pair worked together for a single season when Mourinho was in charge at Inter, winning the 2008-09 Serie A crown before Ibrahimovic departed for Barcelona.
Joe Bernstein of the Daily Mail reported last September that United captain Wayne Rooney currently earns £260,000 a week at Old Trafford, more than £200,000 above the Premier League average of £44,000 a week.
Should reports of Ibrahimovic's eye-watering salary prove genuine, it means he's in line to earn more than double the wage of United's current top earner, not to mention more than 13 times the division's average. United's offered salary would mean Ibrahimovic could earn even more than Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who is reported to earn £500,000 a week by the Sun's Antony Kastrinakis.
The English giants may feel justified in paying such an extravagant figure to land their man, however, based on the fact he's ranked atop Europe's finest in goals scored and assists recorded this term.
There's no denying the Swede would be a short-term investment for United in any case. At 34 years of age, it won't be long before Ibrahimovic will inevitably begin to think about when he'll hang up his boots.
United are in dire need of an established goalscorer, however, having been forced to rely on youngsters Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford for much of this season for attacking inspiration. Meanwhile, Ibrahimovic continues to dazzle in Ligue 1.
There is cause to balk at the mentioned figures, however, not least of which because Ibrahimovic is yet to feature in the Premier League, where many forwards have struggled to apply their scoring talents in the past.
However, so great is United's desire to unleash Ibrahimovic upon their English peers that they'll make him the best-paid player on the planet in order to do so.
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