My Galaxy’s at United
Ibrahimovic rejects £6mil-a-year MLS offer as De Gea insists he wants to join Real
LONDON: Zlatan Ibrahimovic will reject a £ 6mil ( RM33mil)- a- year offer from LA Galaxy to sign a new Manchester United deal.
Reports yesterday said that both Los Angeles-based Major League Soccer (MLS) sides want the Swede should he opt to leave Europe. The 35-year-old veteran is currently a free agent as he recovers from knee surgery at Manchester United’s training ground.
Galaxy and Los Angeles FC are interested in offering him a deal to make the switch Stateside.
However, as SunSport reported earlier this week, Ibrahimovic is on course to return from injury ahead of schedule and accept a new short-term deal at United.
The former Paris St Germain star’s agent Mino Raiola has previously spoken of his client’s desire to remain in Europe despite Galaxy telling him they would make Zlat the highest-paid player in their history.
Ibra himself has come out this week and said there will be a “big announcement” on his future shortly.
LA Galaxy boss Curt Onalfo refused to comment when asked about the hitman on Thursday.
But he did add the “DNA of the Galaxy is to attract world-class players, so we are always looking for one”.
Across town the new Los Angeles FC franchise, who will begin their first MLS season in 2018, want to sign a star name before appointing their first coach. BBC Sport claim that Ibrahimovic and fellow former United forward Javier Hernandez – due to the huge Mexican population in LA – are considered the ideal two targets for the club.
Hernandez, 28, is under contract with Bayer Leverkusen until 2018.
Meanwhile, United goalkeeper David De Gea appears adamant he wants to join Real Madrid.
Reports to this effect in Spain follow the news that Real are ready to pay £50mil (RM278mil) for the keeper. The Spanish giants almost bagged their man in 2015 only for the £29mil (RM161mil) deal to collapse at the eleventh hour due to paperwork problems.
Spanish transfer outlet Don Balon claim Real will try again this summer, with club president Florentino Perez desperate to land the Spanish international.
De Gea, meanwhile, is said to have told his agent Jorge Mendes to get the deal sorted.
Should Real sign De Gea, Don Balon add that Perez will look to offload first-choice keeper Keylor Navas to Paris St Germain.
The latest situation is sure to increase the bad blood between United and Real, who are currently training at the same UCLA base in Los Angeles.
The rivals have been squabbling over who has the best facilities and hotels. United have made it clear the Spaniard is not for sale.
De Gea, 26, has won seven honours since joining United from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and helped Jose Mourinho to a Europa League and League Cup double last season. And Mourinho recently admitted he plans on keeping the 26-year-old shot-stopper at Old Trafford.
He said: “David is top in the world and obviously we want to keep the top in the world.”
But United do have Argentina No. 1 Sergio Romero and Portugal keeper Joel Pereira also on board. — The Sun, London