Zlatan Ibrahimovic Transfer Speculation

http://www.espnfc.us/manchester-uni...ited-future-not-dependent-on-champions-league


.........Ibrahimovic has made it clear that his decision will not hinge on Champions League qualification.

"No, it's not about that [Champions League]," Ibrahimovic told reporters after the game at Wembley. "I came here and the club wasn't in the Champions League, so it had nothing to do with the Champions League.

"So somebody made up a story that if they don't qualify for the Champions League I will not extend. It has nothing to do with that.

"Let's see what happens. I mean the moment, how I feel, the situation, we have another two months of the season to go, because according to many I could not do what I've been doing."
 
A big part of whether he stays another season is champions league football. (or not, it seems)
Then come 3rd in the group stages and defend the Europa League :cool: :lol:
Since progressing to at best, quarter final (4th, get it?) what would be the point?

Edit
 
Surely he'd know by now if he was staying, I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this.
 
Invictus said:
This smacks of posturing by Raiola and Ibrahimović for a longer deal than simple 1 year rolling extensions - where the club has all the power and he can be cut and sent to pasture on short notice. He knows full well that this is his last stint at a club that might reach the very top in the near future, so he'll want a greater show of faith than - 'ok Zlatan, we need you now, but as soon as we figure out a longer term solution, we'll send you packing'. On some level, the lack of a European Cup must really sting his ego, and he knows that might not come next season for United, or even in the season after that.

And now he has great leverage on the basis of his productivity - as opposed to last season because no other elite club would've realistically taken a chance on him for a prominent role in the XI at this stage of his career. Zlatan doesn't want to spend the last couple years of his career at Napoli unless he's forced to, IMO - it's a red herring because his signing would rip their wage structure to shreds. And definitely not some glue factory like China or the MLS, unless it's a last resort.

Probably wants a 3 year contract with a provisional clause wherein he can retire upon winning the European Cup or atleast the Premier League - that's his ideal final signature move à la Cantona. Mourinho's bit about Zlatan deciding when he wants to retire on his terms (like Maldini and Zanetti in the past) kinda alludes to that, too.
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Best thing explaining his situation I've read. Probably didn't feel good for Ibra getting just a 1 year contract in the first place, meaning the club doesn't have faith in him. But I'm wondering, who's idea the 1+1 was? The club's or the player's? Why didn't he get a 2+1 from the start?
 
As good as he has been this season he's not dumb, he had a bad patch and he was criticized then, come next season it would be logical if United made a couple more big signings and one of them would be a 9 if he hits a couple of rough weeks come april/may, then he has to sit on the bench most of his last season in Europe and that's something he probably wants to avoid.

As long as there are rumour about big signings next year that could threaten his starter status its wise from him to keep his options open
 
I'm not bothered if he leaves, but only if we sign a dynamic striker in the mould of Griezmann or Dybala.

Zlatan leaving could be a bit like Ruud leaving in 2007. We might be a more fluid unit without him. But that depends on the quality of striker we bring in as a replacement.

He's not a robot, by the way. He will not be able to replicate this season next year. 6 months is a big difference at his age, so we can't be replying on a 36 year old to carry us forward next season. Players can suddenly become old over one summer.
 
Regardless of whether he stays or goes we're probably going to have to look to buy a striker for the long term this summer. Leave it any later and we risk someone not working seriously affecting that season, and we're stuck just replacing the same positions rather than strengthening the rest of the field.

He must know that, and is weighing up his options.

I'd love him to stay as well though.
 
RedMaestro said:
Best thing explaining his situation I've read. Probably didn't feel good for Ibra getting just a 1 year contract in the first place, meaning the club doesn't have faith in him. But I'm wondering, who's idea the 1+1 was? The club's or the player's? Why didn't he get a 2+1 from the start?
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I'm certain it was the boards decision. I'm sure after the Falcao situation they'd have been hugely wary about committing £25m to a player whose ageing and hasn't played in the PL before coming from the French league.

We seem to be in a fine position though. Option A is we activate another year on his contract and he stays. Option B is he feels his body won't hold up for another season so he moves to somewhere like the US (if he feels this way he shouldn't stay). Option C is his agent acts like a tosser and tries to angle for more money; in this scenario we could either activate his other year and say he stays or we want a substantial fee for him, or more likely we give him a huge incentive based addition to his current deal (ie if we win the PL he's given a £5m golden handshake).

All three scenarios suit the club.
 
I was a little bit annoyed yesterday when he said he joined for Mourinho, I know it's picking at holes but he could have said he had joined for the club rather than Mourinho.

I don't think he will stay if we don't offer Champions league.
 
Whatever he decides I don't think we can grumble, he doesn't owe us anything and has performed beyond expectations while giving the team a much needed aura and confidence boost.
 
I think he'll want to stay until either he wins the league championship with us or his body gives in... although I admit that's just my wishful thinking for now.
 
If he does leave this summer it will take the shine off his time here a bit for me personally.

I think it all hinges on Champions League qualification as Zlatan himself said a couple of months back that he has met his requirements on his side so im guessing its now up to United to make sure we qualify for the Champions League.
 
He is where he wants to be. He will sign providing that we qualify for the CL. This is all Raiola stirring shit up to make us raise his salary next season. Which he deserves as far as i'm concerned.
 
IMO I think he will stay but he's probably waiting on two things. CL qualification and whether Utd sign a striker who could threaten his starting place.
 
Smudge said:
If he does leave this summer it will take the shine off his time here a bit for me personally.

I think it all hinges on Champions League qualification as Zlatan himself said a couple of months back that he has met his requirements on his side so im guessing its now up to United to make sure we qualify for the Champions League.
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This is strange. Does sound like I am better than the rest of the pack, which is not exactly a team player's spirit, is it? Zlatan is paid well, he is 35, I do not think we owe him anything. A true leader will blame himself first if his team do not qualify for CL.
 
Water Melon said:
This is strange. Does sound like I am better than the rest of the pack, which is not exactly a team player's spirit, is it? Zlatan is paid well, he is 35, I do not think we owe him anything. A true leader will blame himself first if his team do not qualify for CL.
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True plus depends where he ends up if he does leave this summer.

If it is to a Champions League club then fair dos i dont blame him but if its to a team outside of Europe then it would be strange to leave and not stay another year.

Lets hope Napoli fall off the pace but mind you if they finish third they will have to qualify for the champions league so god knows what would happen over the summer :lol:
 
Im more confident now that its about money. He's carried the team this year and sees Pogba on more money than him and Rooney and Schweinsteiger on the bench. I doubt he'd hold us to ransom, but would want a salary befitting what he's doing for the club. I also don't see him as one to sit on a contract if his form drops. He'll just move on.
 
WhoDaGOAT said:
I'm not bothered if he leaves, but only if we sign a dynamic striker in the mould of Griezmann or Dybala.

Zlatan leaving could be a bit like Ruud leaving in 2007. We might be a more fluid unit without him. But that depends on the quality of striker we bring in as a replacement.

He's not a robot, by the way. He will not be able to replicate this season next year. 6 months is a big difference at his age, so we can't be replying on a 36 year old to carry us forward next season. Players can suddenly become old over one summer.
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Exact same thing was said in the summer after his great season at PSG. You are simply guessing here.
 
Reckon he is angling to get atleast what Pogba earns (275k/week), and tbf. if Pogba is worth that Zlatan sure is.
 
I think he'll leave after this season. He's proven to everyone that he can do it in England. Staying one more year the expectations will be even higher, yet he will probably struggle to have the same impact at the age of 36. It makes too much sense for him to just step down, keep his reputation and earn even more money in the MLS or China.
 
Dinghy said:
I think he'll leave after this season. He's proven to everyone that he can do it in England. Staying one more year the expectations will be even higher, yet he will probably struggle to have the same impact at the age of 36. It makes too much sense for him to just step down, keep his reputation and earn even more money in the MLS or China.
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Why not stay and go for the title next year? he's won the league in every other country he's played in surely.
 
When United signed him, with a much gamble United were willing to pay X much on wages. Surely as he's proved his worth, United wouldn't mind to pay more?

Anticipating his decline, and a new striker coming in next season, maybe United can offer him to keep his current wage, while doubling or tripling the playing time bonus.
 
Raiola sees the uncertainty around how our season will finish and how well Zlatan is doing. He knows he can get Zlatan a pay rise and probably earn a million or so himself for the brokering.
 
Going nowhere unless he thinks that physically he won't be able to manage next year. He has a great relationship with Mourinho and won't want to risk the end of his career being possibly unnecessarily difficult at Napoli or wherever.
 
I know he said it wasnt a factor but really dont see him leaving if we are in the CL next season he's never won it, and would love one more shot at it I'm sure.
 
MUFC OK said:
Why not stay and go for the title next year? he's won the league in every other country he's played in surely.
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He'll be 36. Maybe he can keep going on the same way, but at some point soon he's bound to have a drop in quality. And he seems to be the kind of character who sets himself very high standards and doesn't want to tarnish his reputation by keep on playing just for the sake of it.
 
Classical Mechanic said:
Raiola sees the uncertainty around how our season will finish and how well Zlatan is doing. He knows he can get Zlatan a pay rise and probably earn a million or so himself for the brokering.
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A pay rise? Isn't he on upwards of £300k here? There's not many around who can pay that, let alone even more than that. I don't see him going to Madrid, and he's already been at PSG. Who else could pay that sort of money?
 
He won't leave but give him another year with a bumper. If he's shit it will only be for a year. We've had more than a few below average players collecting fat checks for more than a year and their still hear.
 
I would say it's pretty unlikely that the original contract didn't provide for a step down in wages should we both choose to extend. He would, after all, be 36 and, in theory at least, be unlikely to be capable of producing the same high level he was at his peak. Or even possibly from the year before.

If that's correct, then I'm sure he's probably looking for a couple of years on more, or at least the same, money as he's on right now.
 
I'm fine with it either way. I'd love him stay for another year, but if he wants to go or we don't give him the terms he needs (be it financial or CL related), I'd fondly wave him goodbye. We'd have a huge weekly salary to offer another top-class striker to replace him, and replace him we certainly would - with Rooney also leaving, freeing up another gigantic weekly salary, we could bring in two world-class strikers and hit the ground running. Griezmann and another.

Let the chips fall how they may, we'll be fine.
 
Invictus said:
This smacks of posturing by Raiola and Ibrahimović for a longer deal than simple 1 year rolling extensions - where the club has all the power and he can be cut and sent to pasture on short notice. He knows full well that this is his last stint at a club that might reach the very top in the near future, so he'll want a greater show of faith than - 'ok Zlatan, we need you now, but as soon as we figure out a longer term solution, we'll send you packing'. On some level, the lack of a European Cup must really sting his ego, and he knows that might not come next season for United, or even in the season after that.

And now he has great leverage on the basis of his productivity - as opposed to last season because no other elite club would've realistically taken a chance on him for a prominent role in the XI at this stage of his career. Zlatan doesn't want to spend the last couple years of his career at Napoli unless he's forced to, IMO - it's a red herring because his signing would rip their wage structure to shreds. And definitely not some glue factory like China or the MLS, unless it's a last resort.

Probably wants a 3 year contract with a provisional clause wherein he can retire upon winning the European Cup or atleast the Premier League - that's his ideal final signature move à la Cantona. Mourinho's bit about Zlatan deciding when he wants to retire on his terms (like Maldini and Zanetti in the past) kinda alludes to that, too.
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Ibra knows better than anybody that the outcome of this scenario is in his hands.
 
He probably just wants Rooney's deal if Rooney is leaving which is fair enough as he's doing the role Rooney is getting paid for of talisman/leader/match winner.
 
Invictus said:
This smacks of posturing by Raiola and Ibrahimović for a longer deal than simple 1 year rolling extensions - where the club has all the power and he can be cut and sent to pasture on short notice. He knows full well that this is his last stint at a club that might reach the very top in the near future, so he'll want a greater show of faith than - 'ok Zlatan, we need you now, but as soon as we figure out a longer term solution, we'll send you packing'. On some level, the lack of a European Cup must really sting his ego, and he knows that might not come next season for United, or even in the season after that.

And now he has great leverage on the basis of his productivity - as opposed to last season because no other elite club would've realistically taken a chance on him for a prominent role in the XI at this stage of his career. Zlatan doesn't want to spend the last couple years of his career at Napoli unless he's forced to, IMO - it's a red herring because his signing would rip their wage structure to shreds. And definitely not some glue factory like China or the MLS, unless it's a last resort.

Probably wants a 3 year contract with a provisional clause wherein he can retire upon winning the European Cup or atleast the Premier League - that's his ideal final signature move à la Cantona. Mourinho's bit about Zlatan deciding when he wants to retire on his terms (like Maldini and Zanetti in the past) kinda alludes to that, too.
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I have no doubt that he would be hurt by not having won the Champions League, but if that really is a factor he would never have joined us in the first place when he was already at PSG. Is there a credible CL challenger that would take him?
 
He's not going to leave for a very outside chance of winning the Champions League at Napoli instead of a decent chance at winning the Premier League here, in the unlikely event we don't qualify for the CL ourselves. I think he just enjoys stringing the media along and is looking forward to the hype when he finally signs the extension.
 
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