Gossip: Zlatan 'wants new Man Utd deal', Liverpool 'target £50m winger', Bayern 'want Klopp'
It’s well known that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is desperate for a Premier League winners’ medal. He has won titles in Italy, Spain, France and Holland, and he wants an English one to complete the set, so he can retire and hang them all around his neck every day like a football Mr T.
This is why he signed for Manchester United in the first place. And this is why he signed a one-year contract extension at Old Trafford when nobody thought he would.
But having witnessed Manchester City’s ridiculously efficient start to the season, it has evidently occurred to Zlatan that one more year with the Red Devils might not be enough.
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So, just 59 minutes into his long-awaited comeback from injury, the Sun says Ibrahimovic wants to start talks on another one-year contract extension.
The Swede is reportedly “pushing to extend his stay” at Old Trafford and has a meeting “pencilled in” with Jose Mourinho in the New Year.
Despite being widely tipped to move to the MLS this summer, Zlatan will instead use this meeting to ask for a new United deal so that he can fulfil his dream of winning that English title.
And if United don’t win it next year either, he will presumably keep doing every season until they do. And if they never do, he might have to settle for buying Stuart Ripley’s 1995 medal on eBay.
A man whose United future looks even bleaker is Daley Blind, who the Times says “fears” Mourinho will try to offload him in the summer.
The club have yet to begin contract negotiations with the versatile Dutchman, despite him repeatedly loitering outside the chairman’s office with an eager smile and a hopeful look in his eye.
Reds want Sporting Lisbon forward
Liverpool are set to spend £53m improving their attack by launching a bid for 22-year-old Sporting Lisbon winger Gelson Martins, says the Mirror. Some might suggest that £53m would be better spent improving their defence, but where would be the fun in that?
In less exciting Reds news, Jurgen Klopp is said to be on a shortlist to replace Jupp Heynckes as Bayern Munich manager at the end of the season, the other contenders being Joachim Low and Thomas Tuchel (Bild).
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Meanwhile, Arsenal are “winning the race” to sign Udinese midfielder Jakub Jankto, says the Mirror. The 21-year-old is also wanted by Juventus and AC Milan, but Gunners scouts have “watched him for a year” and made him feel wanted and special and all warm inside. Best of all, his release clause is a mere £6m, so it barely matters if he’s any good.
Elsewhere, Everton forward Sandro Ramirez could return to Spain in January, with Valencia keen to take him on loan (Mail) Watford a considering a loan move for Leicester’s out-of-favour striker Islam Slimani when the transfer window reopens (Mirror) and – fact of the day – Sam Allardyce’s new £6m-a-year Everton contract means he earns a bigger salary than fellow managers Zinedine Zidane, Diego Simeone, Max Allegri and Unai Emery (Express). You can imagine him repeating this fact at dinner parties forever.
