Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has not ruled out remaining with the French champions despite a wealth of offers from around the world including three from clubs in Serie A, his agent said Thursday.
Ibrahimovic is set to become one of the transfer stories of the summer when his contract with the cash-rich French Ligue 1 club expires this June.
The Swedish marksman’s agent, Mino Raiola, said he has received several offers including one “huge” one from China and three from Italy’s top flight, where Ibrahimovic won titles with Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan.
But the Dutchman said Ibrahimovic, who will lead the Swedish charge at this summer’s Euro 2016, has not ruled out remaining in France.
“I have received offers from every continent in the world, including from China. I’m not saying for how much, but it is a huge sum,” Raiola told Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview.
He added that PSG are “doing everything possible to try and make him renew (his contract). Paris remains an option.”
With Ibrahimovic on the books, PSG have swept the past three league titles, the Swede continuing a tradition that has seen him win championships with Juventus, in 2005 and 2006 (although both were revoked due to a match-fixing scandal), Inter (2007, 2008, 2009), Barcelona (2010) and AC Milan (2011).
Ibrahimovic has yet to play in England’s Premier League and Raiola claimed that “all the big clubs there, with the exception of Manchester City, where (Pep) Guardiola is the coach, have knocked on my door”.
And despite persistent rumours claiming Ibrahimovic could return to Italy, Raiola appeared to brush them under the carpet.
“All the big clubs want him, even Napoli,” said Raiola, who took a cheeky swipe at the Serie A club’s film-producing president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
“But there, all they’re good at is making films.”
Higuain going nowhere
With Ibrahimovic on his way out of PSG, the French capital club have been linked to Napoli’s on-form Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain.
But De Laurentiis reiterated Higuain “is going nowhere” on Wednesday and Raiola said the ongoing oil price crisis could see the Qatar-backed French giants tighten their belt this summer.
“In Paris, things have changed. I don’t know if they would be prepared to spend 90m euros (for Higuain): the price of oil has plummeted and the Emir is counting his pennies.
“That’s another reason they want to hold on to Ibra.”
– by AFP
