Gossip: Does Ibrahimovic have Mourinho’s number?

Matt Stead

ZLAT GUY
Zlatan Ibrahimovic being linked with a move to Manchester United is not new news. The 34-year-old striker is out of contract at Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, and seems eager to try his hand in the Premier League. United need a marquee signing who can score goals, and have the requisite money for wages. It is a match made in heaven.

The rumour has been around for a while, but Corriere dello Sport take it to new levels on Friday. The Italian outlet – who will obviously have the inside track on a Swedish player joining an English club from a French one – claim that Ibrahimovic has phoned supposedly incoming United boss Jose Mourinho. What did the striker tell him?

“Mister, if you got to the Red Devils, take me with you. I’ll be on a free, but if you make it up in wages, I will win you the Premier League straight away.”

Allegedly. How Corriere dello Sport would know what was said during a phone conversation we do not know. But they add that Ibrahimovic’s motive for moving to Old Trafford is to stop Pep Guardiola winning the Premier League in his first season at Manchester City. That is the most believable part about the whole story.

 

TOFFEE OR NOT TOFFEE?
First Phil Neville, then Darron Gibson. Could Michael Carrick be the next player to follow the well-trodden path of Manchester United outcast to Everton first-team player?

According to the Daily Express, possibly so. Paul Joyce tells us that Roberto Martinez is interested in signing midfielder Carrick, who is out of contract at Old Trafford this summer. There is no offer of a renewal from United yet, and so the 34-year-old could explore his options.

‘The England international wants to stay in England,’ Joyce adds, striking a blow to the heart of MLS and the Chinese Super League.

As well as Everton, Arsenal, Newcastle and West Ham have all been credited with an interest in Carrick. Good luck, Toon.

 

ICARDI BREEZER
‘Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal target Mauro Icardi reveals where he’ll be playing next season,’ reads the headline on The Sun website. Spoiler: It’s the one he currently plays for.

“It’s the same story every year. Every year I read that I am leaving Inter,” the striker told Corriere della Sera. “But I am happy here. I enjoy being Inter captain, being the club’s striker and to score goals here.”

That clears that one up. Icardi, who has scored 14 goals in 28 Serie A games this season, has been linked with Manchester United fairly regularly in the recent times, but the 23-year-old ain’t leaving.

 

AND THE REST
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has stepped up his interest in Ajax’s teen sensation Riechedly Bazoer…Chelsea could be forced to splash out a staggering £25m to sign Roma’s Antonio Rudiger…Four Premier League clubs are chasing Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen…Everton are reportedly ready to make a move for Watford’s Odion Ighalo should Romelu Lukaku leave the club this summer…Aston Villa midfielder Carlos Sanchez is a target for Deportivo La Coruna…PSG lead the chase for £20m-rated Leicester midfielder N’Golo Kante…Premier League leaders Leicester have agreed to sign Sporting Gijon defender Luis Hernandez, 27, on a free transfer…Manchester United’s 18-year-old striker Marcus Rashford is being kept waiting over a new Manchester United contract and currently earns a basic wage of £1,500, plus a £5,000 bonus each time he appears for the first team…Everton and Newcastle are vying to sign 18-year-old striker Bassala Sambou, who has scored 25 goals for Coventry’s youth teams this season but has rejected chances to sign professional terms with the League One side…Claudio Ranieri has pledged his future to Leicester and says he wants a new seven-year contract…Stoke are braced to fight off interest in centre-back Philipp Wollscheid, who is a summer target for Borussia Monchengladbach…Stoke are interested in signing AC Milan forward M’Baye Niang.