Zlatan Ibrahimovic is slated to re-up his expiring contract with Milan in short order. The player and the club are closing in on an agreement that could be announced within ten days. The striker will earn up to €7M, like this season, but the deal will be structured differently, Sky Sport reports.
The Rossoneri initially proposed a pay cut considering the amount of matches he missed due to injury. The two sides ultimately came to terms on maintining the same number, but differently split between salary and bonuses related to his performances and to the objectives reached by the team. Ibrahimovic has tallied 17 goals in 24 appearances across all competitions so far. However, he has been sidelined by three separate muscular problems during the course of the campaign. He will turn 40 in October.
While the focal point of the offense is poised to stay put, the future of his back-up Mario Mandzukic is murky. The Croatian striker joined on a six-month contract with an optional second season. The conditions to activate the renewal have not been met and qualifying to Champions League would not suffice to trigger it. The former Juventus forward has featured just four times before suffering a thigh strain that has shelved him for a month and a half.
Milan will look to pair Ibrahimovic with another attacker if they did not retain Mandzukic. Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic is at the top of the list of potential targets despite his €40M price tag. However, his wages would be relatively low, making the deal more feasible, Gazzetta dello Sport reports.