Paris Saint-Germain star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has reportedly made demands of a contract worth £600,000 a week to join a Premier League side.
The 34-year-old will see his contract with the Ligue 1 champions expire at the end of the season, and in turn it has sparked wild speculation about his future.
With offers from around the world likely, the Premier League may not be an option for much longer based on the latest reports from The Daily Mail.
“We would like to sign him, but the money is crazy,’ said a deal insider. ‘We get that he would be a significant capture, but is he really worth that money — and at the age of 34?”
While Ibrahimovic would likely receive such an offer from clubs in China, it is difficult to see any Premier League side being able to meet this request with Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney the highest-paid player in the top flight at £260,000-per-week.
It is unclear at this stage as to how much truth is behind this latest report, and whether or not it is merely a ploy from Ibrahimovic’s team to ensure that he gets offered a big deal this summer, from England, China or elsewhere.
Having won multiple league titles in Holland, Italy, Spain and France during a glittering career, there is no denying that the former AC Milan and Barcelona star will be a huge boost for any side that he opts to join this summer.
However, if he intends on staying in Europe, he will have to lower his expectations dramatically if that is the kind of pay-packet that he is looking for in the latter stages of his career.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham United have all been paired with an interest, as noted by The Daily Mail, while Manchester City have already been ruled out given Pep Guardiola’s arrival in the summer.
That interested quartet will not have the resources to meet those demands, and so a Premier League move could quickly become an unlikely option if Ibrahimovic’s next move is motivated by money.