Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Zlatan Ibrahimovic MLS Rumours

Former Arsenal star and Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas has weighed in on the rumours linking Manchester United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a move to the MLS, and he believes the Swede could leave for LA Galaxy during the summer.

Ibrahimovic joined United at the start of this season after years of speculation linking him with a Premier League move, and he's been the club's top attacking option since, scoring at an impressive rate.

He only signed a one-year deal, however, and exit rumours have persisted all season long. As reported by Metro's Louis Sealey, Nicholas told Sky Sports he could see the veteran move to the United States. When asked, he said:

"

Of course I could, absolutely, I think it's all part of the profile that he has.

He is 35, he knows this is a hard place to play football, he's having a fabulous season. But his team is still out of the top four at the moment, and facing a really tough tie away to Chelsea in the FA Cup.

He could leave on a high, say: "You've all questioned me but I've done my business in England, now I can go to America and be the new Beckham, be the face of it."

"

According to the Daily Telegraph (h/t Manchester Evening News' Ciaran Kelly), LA Galaxy are willing to make the 35-year-old the highest-paid player in MLS history at over £11 million per year.

Ibrahimovic has been one of Europe's top forwards for years now, consistently performing and winning silverware wherever he plays. He's won league titles in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, France and his native Sweden, as well as the EFL Cup with United this season.

Despite his age, he remains one of the Premier League's best scorers, as evidenced by this statistic from Squawka Football:

But United won't win the Premier League title this season unless Chelsea and the other clubs ahead of the Red Devils in the standings suffer a meltdown for the ages. The club might not even qualify for next year's UEFA Champions League, and if they do, they won't be even close to favourites for that competition.

Ibrahimovic continues to defy Father Time, but that won't last. If the Swede wants to maximise his earning potential, a move across the Atlantic Ocean will have to happen at some point in the near future.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Most fans and pundits believe Ibrahimovic will take his talents to MLS before he hangs up his boots, and the earlier he does, the better. The level of play in MLS has gone up tremendously in the last decade, and top players can no longer waltz their way through the competition once the decline has set in.

United would undoubtedly prefer to keep their star striker, but due to his contract situation, the choice will ultimately come down to Ibrahimovic. If he believes United can deliver him a Premier League title next season, he's likely to stay for one more campaign before he leaves.

If not, he may as well go while he knows for a fact his skills are still top notch.