Manchester United Transfer News: Major Harry Kane, Zlatan Ibrahimovic Rumours

Manchester United's summer striker search has been pegged back after it emerged Tottenham Hotspur will offer Harry Kane a new bumper deal, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been offered a king's ransom to join the Chinese Super League.

Rumours have claimed for some time that Kane is in line for an improved deal in north London, but it's been reported Spurs are now ready to pay their front man up to £100,000 a week, per Tony Banks of the Daily Express.

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Kane currently nets a wage of £35,000 a week, and it's suggested the new contract will be worth more than double that with a base income of £75,000 a week, plus add-ons.

Those extra clauses relate to goal and appearance bonuses, as well as international caps and qualification for the Champions League, which seems realistic with manager Mauricio Pochettino guiding Spurs to new heights.

Meanwhile, attack has been an area of some concern for United following last summer's departures of Robin van Persie, Javier Hernandez and Radamel Falcao, with 18-year-old Marcus Rashford currently leading their line.

Kane signed his current Tottenham deal in February 2015 after a breakthrough campaign and has once again captured top form this season, reigning as the Premier League's top scorer, per Fanatix:

While the Red Devils could trump their north London rivals in terms of financial means, Kane may be inclined to persevere with Spurs, considering they sit second in the English top flight, four places and 11 points ahead of United.

The 22-year-old is enjoying his football in the capital and is the spearhead of an emerging powerhouse. Much of that success has also been down to the form of England team-mate Dele Alli, with whom he has said he shares a "great understanding," per Sky Sports' Lyall Thomas:

"

Obviously it depends if we play together, which is down to the manager, but we do have a great understanding. Dele's a great player. As a striker, when you make the runs, if you've got a player who can get on the half-turn and play it forward quickly, it's perfect.

That's what Dele did on Sunday. He turned, saw my run, played it perfectly into my path and I was able to finish it off. I think people have seen that this season, not just with Dele, Kyle Walker set me up on Sunday as well. But Dele is a great lad and a great player, as everyone has seen this season.

We have a great bunch of English lads at Spurs so we just have to see what team is picked and we go from there.

"

From those comments, one might gauge Kane as a difficult target for United to convince, and Ibrahimovic could be no easier following reports the Swede has been offered more than £1 million per week to play in China.

According to James Orr of the Irish Independent, China's government will help finance a €75 million (£59 million) annual salary for the striker, whose Paris Saint-Germain contract expires this summer. United midfielder Juan Mata is hopeful the forward will shun the Chinese Super League to move to Old Trafford, per Sky Sports Audio:

The reported figures equate to a weekly wage of just over £1.1 million—three times the salary of five-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi—a jackpot the 34-year-old may find difficult to turn down as he enters his twilight years.

Manager Louis van Gaal had seen his hopes of signing Ibrahimovic boosted after Milan president Silvio Berlusconi told Italian broadcaster Tele Radio Stero his club won't re-sign the target man (h/t Joe Short of the Daily Express):

"

Totti and Ibra to Milan? It’s impossible for both. 

For Totti because you don’t buy icons, for Ibrahimovic because he will receive some offers that are impossible to equal from China or the UAE. I hope Totti can find an agreement with the club to stay on as a director.

Roma play good football, even the recent introduction of (Stephan) El Shaarawy has given imagination to their attack. In Europe Roma disappointed and the Italian clubs didn’t manage to impose themselves, the other teams have financial support we can’t compete with.

"

Former Manchester United hard man and Republic of Ireland assistant Roy Keane will see his national side face Sweden at Euro 2016, and he joined Mata in singing Ibrahimovic's praises this week, per Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News:

"

He looks a good character. You’d be happy to play with him. He’s a big player for Sweden, we’ll have to keep an eye on him. As a player? Really, really good. Seen him recently live, I’ve done a few Champions League games, lot of speculation he might be going to England.

Talented boy. Looks a bit of a character. Sweden are a very good qualifying team and tournament team.

He looks a bit of a boy. Do you know what that means in Cork? I will try to explain it to you later. You’ll have to Google it. Bit of a boy, one you want to be in the trenches with. Do you understand that? Yeah, I’d like to be in the trenches with him. Scores goals as well. Big lad, big ­character. Again, he’s not shy. Pretty confident. One to watch from our point of view.

"

It's no surprise to see so many plaudits flying in the forward's favour, but even the riches of Manchester United—one of the world's most valuable clubs, according to a 2015 report from Forbes' Mike Ozanian—may struggle to compete with China.

To that end, the Red Devils must hope Ibrahimovic's ambition to compete in one of Europe's top leagues overrides his desire to earn what would be the most lucrative deal in football history.