Zlatan Ibrahimovic in talks to play in MLS, join LA Galaxy - sources
Paris Saint-Germain striker and pending free agent Zlatan Ibrahimovic is in discussions to play in Major League Soccer, multiple sources told ESPN FC.
The 34-year-old Swede, who is out of contract in July, confirmed on Friday that he will not return to the French champions for the 2016-17 season, but he did not announce his next club.
Ibrahimovic, who joined PSG in 2012, has been linked to the LA Galaxy, Manchester United and former club AC Milan in recent days.
LA Galaxy president Chris Klein declined to comment on Ibrahimovic when contacted by ESPN FC, but one source said should the former Ajax, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Juventus forward reach an agreement with MLS, his destination would indeed be the Galaxy.
"I think it's going to happen," the source added.
But another source with knowledge of the talks characterized them as "delicate."
How exactly the Galaxy would accommodate Ibrahimovic on their squad if a deal is consummated isn't entirely clear.
First, the Galaxy would need to acquire his discovery rights, which a source confirmed are currently held by the Philadelphia Union.
And with Giovani dos Santos, Steven Gerrard and Robbie Keane already on the books for Bruce Arena's team, the five-time MLS champs already have the maximum three "designated players" whose full salaries are not subject to a team cap under MLS rules.
Another high-earning player, veteran Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong, is expected to step into Gerrard's DP slot when the 18-month-contract that the former Liverpool captain signed last summer expires in December.
Asked if he was planning on moving any of his designated players, Klein said he was not.
But there are rumblings out of Los Angeles that Keane, who turns 36 in July, is mulling retirement after this season. And one source admitted that "it might be possible" for the Galaxy to loan Ibrahimovic to a European team until January, then bring him back to Southern California for the start of the 2017 MLS season.
