Manchester United Transfer News: Zlatan Ibrahimovic Boost Amid Latest Rumours

Manchester United have received a significant boost in their bid to sign impending free agent Zlatan Ibrahimovic after it came to light Los Angeles Galaxy will most likely not be able to sign the player in 2016.

LA Galaxy are one of the more well-equipped Major League Soccer outfits to deal with the arrival of a player of Ibrahimovic's stature, but former United States international Taylor Twellman told ESPN FC the move isn't possible:

"

From what I've gathered over the last 48 hours is that if [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic is playing in Major League Soccer in 2016, it will not be in an LA Galaxy uniform. They've already got three designated players, the league will not change that rule midseason.

As for this discovery rights, the mechanism of acquiring and signing new players, teams can have up to seven unsigned players on their discovery list. From what I've gathered, you don't discover Zlatan, [Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo.

"

Steven Gerrard, Robbie Keane and Giovani dos Santos already account for the Galaxy's maximum three designated player slots, with Nigel de Jong expected to take the former England international's place once the latter's deal with the club expires in December, per Jeff Carlisle and Doug McIntyre of ESPN FC.

It's also reported that when asked whether the club planned to move any of those players on to make room for a new arrival, LA Galaxy president Chris Klein said it would not.

Christophe Ena/Associated Press

United are in the hunt to improve their attack after seeing their goal count fall flat this season (they've scored 46 goals in 37 games), with captain Wayne Rooney absent through injury for much of the second half of the campaign, leaving the club's youngsters to lead their line.

Ibrahimovic would provide a much more seasoned approach up front for the Premier League giants, and former Red Devils centre-back Rio Ferdinand appears to be a fan of the departing Paris Saint-Germain marvel:

The Sweden international will leave Parc des Princes this summer after guiding PSG to a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title and scoring 48 goals in just 50 appearances across all competitions this season.

Match of the Day confirmed that amount to be a record in the French top flight, and it's not bad work for a forward set to turn 35 years of age in October:

United allowed a lot of experience to leave their borders last summer, when Robin van Persie, Javier Hernandez and loanee Radamel Falcao departed for pastures new.

The arrival of Ibrahimovic would go a long way to restoring some of that much-needed winning mentality and title-clinching experience. PSG boss and former United defender Laurent Blanc paid tribute to his exiting ace, per Goal's Matthew Galea:

"

Zlatan, Zlatan... Some don't like him, some love him. For me, Zlatan is a phenomenon, as shown by his statistics and the goals he's scored. He's a phenomenon.

He succeeds in doing amazing skills, amazing stuff with the ball while he's built tall and strong. It's unbelievable.

Whether you love him or not, with the statistics he has, with the quality he has, I can tell you that he belongs with the best – and I've seen lot of players.

We are thinking about the next market and we'll always try to be competitive. 

Competitive in France of course, as we already are, but above all in Europe.

We lose a phenomenon, a player who scores lot of goals, there is no player like him, like Zlatan, in the current market. 

So we are going to have to invent him! He doesn't exist. 

So we have to keep our course of action, we may try another one, but we must stay competitive.

"

Elsewhere, the Daily Star's Jamie Styles reported agent Jorge Mendes, acting on behalf of Real Madrid, has "offered" James Rodriguez to United for the mighty sum of £60 million.

Mendes represents the Colombia international—and also reported managerial target Jose Mourinho—and the deal could see United sign Rodriguez for £3 million less than the fee Real paid to secure his services in 2014.