Zlatan Ibrahimovic's contract is up at PSG, and he will leave the Parisian club this summer. Where he will land is a matter of great speculation, with China, Manchester United, AC Milan and LA Galaxy being floated as possible destinations for the big Swede. Seemingly in anticipation of this last possibility, the Philadelphia Union have placed a "discovery" claim on Zlatan.
If the Philadelphia Union discovered Zlatan then so did I, but this is beside the point.
By claiming to have discovered Zlatan, the Union would be in line to receive $50,000 should PSG's all-time leading scorer decide to jump across the pond to the states, presuming he doesn't sign with Philadelphia (which we are presuming because there is no way he signs with Philadelphia).
This is a pretty shrewd move, an easy way for Philadelphia to net itself 50 grand if it works. Philadelphia Union coach Jim Curtin basically admitted that's all this is.
From ESPNFC:
"Is there a strategic move to have him on there? Possibly," the coach said after the Union's 1-1 draw against Montreal Impact.
"You look at different things and different mechanisms that our league has, different unique ways that players come into our league -- [there are] ways you can be rewarded if you're a little bit out in front of things."
Of course, 50 grand would be chump change compared to how much it will cost to sign Zlatan, whose salary alone will reach eight figures, easy.
(H/T ESPNFC)
Contact The18 Staff Writer Sam Klomhaus at Klomhaus@The18.com or follow him on Twitter @SamKlomhaus
