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Report: LA Galaxy aim to tempt Ibrahimovic in summer deal

Reuters / Andrew Yates Livepic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been subject of a second approach from the LA Galaxy, and this time sources told Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl that the MLS franchise is confident in acquiring the veteran artilleryman.

The offer submitted would make him the best-paid player in the league's history, according to Wahl's report and BBC Sport's Simon Stone.

Manchester United wants the Swede to add an extra year to his current agreement which runs until June - and there's a possibility of a contract until 2019 - but that hasn't deterred the Galaxy from making an approach for the forward to join in the summer. Nor has going head-to-head with United - one of sports' biggest players - for Ibrahimovic's services.

LA Galaxy sighted out a move for Ibrahimovic last year, and would still have to free up space due to the three Designated Player slots currently occupied by Giovani Dos Santos, Jelle Van Damme, and offseason arrival Romain Alessandrini. To offset this one player could be relieved of the Designated Player tag and compensated the fee above the salary cap using Targeted Allocation Money.

There's the additional caveat of the Californian outfit already having its eight allotted international slots already filled.

Ibrahimovic, 35, has eased into life in England since moving to Old Trafford on a free transfer after his Paris Saint-Germain contract expired. His 15 Premier League goals eclipse the next best in that category at United in that field - Juan Mata with six - and represent a 38 percent share of the club's total strikes in the division. Very quickly, the swaggering striker became instrumental for his new employer.

David Beckham, owner of the forever-stalling MLS franchise in Miami, has voiced his want to bring the "physically magnificent specimen" Stateside in the past. This potential switch was originally slated for the 2018 season, although time is rapidly running out for a reunion of the former PSG teammates.

Instead, Ibrahimovic's long-touted Designated Player contract could be at the LA Galaxy, the instigators of those salary cap-exceeding deals when they famously signed Beckham in 2007.

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