Has Zlatan deserved his contract extension?

[Fracture90]

Last week we got that bombshell about Zlatan getting contact extension for another year and it is still November.

IMO that was very rushed statement, especially given his not so convincing performances, age and overall his status in the team.

EDIT: for the sake of comparison, Valencia who has been one of our best outfield players is yet to get his new contract despite his current one due to expire in June.

 

[Adebesi]

What we've got is a formerly great player who is well past his peak. Im starting to worry he's doing more harm than good, given he isn't only undroppable, he's pretty much unsubbable. I hope he proves me wrong but yeah, on the current evidence I'd say this decision was premature.

 

[Mike09]

If you judge him in term of performance as our main striker, may be you can say no. But I think keeping him for another season has a lot of benefit to add that 'winning mentality' in the team. As a leader or mentor for our youngster, add more experiences in the team, good quality for his age and also more option upfront, so far no injury, and making extra bucks from his shirt selling. Definitely will be worthy I reckon.

 

[Hawks2008]

As it stands he's our best striker and top scorer, and his leadership, experience, and his ability to pull money and viewers to the club is pretty good also. I think it's the right decision even if it is a little early.

 

[Adebesi]

Fat lot of good that winning mentality is doing us this season.

The guy is class, no doubt about it. I wish we'd got him a few years ago, or more. But those of us who worried his French stats would be irrelevant in the PL have seen little to address those concerns. A month or so ago I took heart from the fact he was making chances, getting into positions. Now I just want to see more goals.

 

[NJM78]

From a commercial view it may be a good decision (Ed's money men will know of course) but I'm hoping next season he will not be our starting striker as from the team point of view its not ideal if we want to progress. Maybe having no CL again and losing a portion of the Adidas income will tighten our purse strings considerably so we will not be able to spend big on a top class number 9 to replace him anyway.

 

[Sunny Jim]

Last week we got that bombshell about Zlatan getting contact extension for another year and it is still November.

IMO that was very rushed statement, especially given his not so convincing performances, age and overall his status in the team.

EDIT: for the sake of comparison, Valencia who has been one of our best outfield players is yet to get his new contract despite his current one due to expire in June.

- i see quality in him
- i see he makes our attacking play 1-dimensional
- he has wasted a lot of chances
- it made sense to extend his contract
- but he hasn't done enough to merit this extension
- i hope we have more mobile and efficient striker next season

 

[11101]

Yes, he has.

7 goals in 12 games is a decent return. He should be transitioned into a support role over the rest of this year and next though, as his overall play is not good enough. Super sub and backup please.

 

[Varun]

I'd be surprised if the one yr contract signed initially didn't have an automatic extension linked to goals/appearances.

 

[Castia]

People can moan all they want about Zlatan but truth be told Rashford and Martial haven't turned up this season, Zlatan has been our best attacker he deserves the extension.

 

[kouroux]

I don't know if it really means anything to do it early or late but it sure felt weird.

 

[Adebesi]

Martial and Rashford have struggled a bit this season too, yes. And Ibra has looked better than them, yes. Not sure if that's the appropriate criteria for judging whether to extend his contract tho.

 

[The United]

Martial has struggled of course. But to say rashford has is only half truth. His greatest strengths lie in being a striker which he hardly played this season. It is hard to say either way for him in that position.

Especially when a 35 year old striker is not even being sub at all for someone else to come in that position to get some few mins to show what they can do or can't do over many games.

About contract extention, I don't mind it as long as he is fine being a sub role if he can't do the job as good as someone else that might come in later on.

The problem is jose not subbing him at all is a sign to concern. Is he going to be the main striker next season too? So far, we need much more than that.

The 'winning mentality' thing though does not seem to have any effect at all on younger players or the team in general if there is even one from him.

It is not like we don't have players who have won shit loads before ourselves. Can't say some of them don't have the same so called mentality themselves.

 

[whatwha]

Didn't like the timing of it. Too soon. He may be the best option out of a bad bunch right now, but I'm not really convinced he can fire us to a title challenge next season. If not, do we keep a 35/36 year old ego monster as a very expensive bench option?

I'm also a bit disappointed by the fact that this could mean that Jose isn't thinking of bringing in a new player in the attack/wide forward area.

I'm not fully convinced by Zlatan/Rooney as the number 9 going forward. If Martial or Rashford are moved centrally to compete for that spot we could use a new quality wide forward. If Zlatan is kept around on huge wages, that seems to work against that idea.

 

[Seveneric]

No, and the only thing that stops me from thinking it's an absolutely retarded decision is that I want to believe the higher-ups have a reason for doing it so early rather than waiting till January or towards the end of the season.

 

[nick2004]

Definitely a good decision!

You let a player go only after you get a better one, not before. And only after you make sure he is a better one.

And our problem is not money. Our problem is to get world class players.

 

[Adebesi]

Definitely a good decision!

You let a player go only after you get a better one, not before. And only after you make sure he is a better one.

And our problem is not money. Our problem is to get world class players.

Who said anything about letting him go? That wasn't the choice, sign a new contract or walk the plank.

 

[nick2004]

Who said anything about letting him go? That wasn't the choice, sign a new contract or walk the plank.

Perhaps I misunderstood. Do we want him to stay for another year or not? If yes, then it's a good decision to sign it and finish with it. Otherwise, in January he can sign with a different team. It would not be hard for him to find some other team if we don't sign him on time.

 

[Adebesi]

He wasn't going to get any better offers. We could afford to wait and see IMO. And if this is as good as it gets from him (maybe it isn't) we'd be better off upgrading this summer.

 

[nick2004]

He wasn't going to get any better offers. We could afford to wait and see IMO. And if this is as good as it gets from him (maybe it isn't) we'd be better off upgrading this summer.

How do you know that his manager doesn't already have offers from more sunny places? Waiting is disrespect with such players. Wait for what? To find our if he is good enough?

 

[Fracture90]

Some people saying he brings winning mentality, helps youngsters grow and he is marketable as pros for this extension.

• Winning mentality without scoring, which is why we bought him is hardly worth it.
• How are you helping youngsters when they can't even get a chance to play in their natural position because our starker that is supposed to be their mentor can't be subbed in order for them to get some experience.
• Do we want someone that will score and make a difference on the pitch or we want someone that will model around and make the difference in shirt selling?

If we got him few years back would be amazing, but we got him past his prime and that's a fact.

 

[nick2004]

Signing Zlatan for another year does not mean we are not going to get another world class striker in the summer... if we find anyone available (and willing to come to the rain).

 

[Sparky10Legend]

How do you know that his manager doesn't already have offers from more sunny places? Waiting is disrespect with such players. Wait for what? To find our if he is good enough?

Sheff Wed wanted Eric to have a trial......

(That went well)

*Agreed its disrespectful.

 

[Adebesi]

How do you know that his manager doesn't already have offers from more sunny places? Waiting is disrespect with such players. Wait for what? To find our if he is good enough?

Sunnier places? You think the big CL clubs are trying to prize him away do you?

Fair enough.

 

[NinjaFletch]

What better striker can we apparently upgrade him with next season then for all those saying it?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Tweet

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Just putting this in here...

 

[Sparky10Legend]

Eureka moment.

Is he our RvN - when we should move to a far more fluent Saha inspired front 3?

On balance, probably yes, much as i love Zlatan.

 

[nick2004]

Sunnier places? You think the big CL clubs are trying to prize him away do you?

Fair enough.

We know that he has a great manager. I am sure he can find him another team. In Italy, for example.

(There are plenty of teams playing in CL. We are not!...)

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

There is no agreement as yet … it was slanted reporting to set ZI and JM against each other in two separate Pressers 5 minutes apart.

This thread is not needed.

 

[Zoo]

I think the intention from the start was for it to be 2 years and for Ibra to have one last challenge. Don't think he would have to agreed to just come for one season, he may as well have just extended at PSG for a season or gone to the MLS.

 

[nick2004]

I think the intention from the start was for it to be 2 years and for Ibra to have one last challenge. Don't think he would have to agreed to just come for one season, he may as well have just extended at PSG for a season or gone to the MLS.

I think so, too. They made it 1+1 just in case Zlatan hated it here or something.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

For all the missed chances (and he's far from the only player guilty of that) a PL goals tally of 7 in 12 in his debut season is decent. Throw in his high number of chances created and all the criticism seems very unfair.

 

[Fracture90]

How do you know that his manager doesn't already have offers from more sunny places? Waiting is disrespect with such players. Wait for what? To find our if he is good enough?

Only reason we signed him is because we were the only top club willing to pay his enormous wages and provide him with a challenge to play in EPL. He probably has offers from MSL and China tho.

I'm starting to think he really has a "must-play" clause in his contract.

 

[NinjaFletch]

Only reason we signed him is because we were the only top club willing to pay his enormous wages and provide him with a challenge to play in EPL. He probably has offers from MSL and China tho.

I'm starting to think he really has a "must-play" clause in his contract.

Well that's a lie. He turned down more money to stay at PSG for a start.

 

[Fracture90]

Well that's a lie. He turned down more money to stay at PSG for a start.

Believe in what you will but even his manager came out and said he had to tempting offers, one from Milan but UTD one's was far more lucrative.

If PSG wanted him so much why would they have waited for his last year of contact in order to extend it?

Cavani was in Zlatan's shadow in PSG for years, forced to play a winger plus he's younger and just as prolific as Zlatan was there.

 

[NinjaFletch]

[QUOTE="Fracture90, post: 20108722, member: 105538"]Believe in what you will but even his manager came out and said he had to tempting offers, one from Milan but UTD one's was far more lucrative.

If PSG wanted him so much why would they have waited for his last year of contact in order to extend it?

Cavani was in Zlatan's shadow in PSG for years, forced to play a winger plus he's younger and just as prolific as Zlatan was there.[/QUOTE]

Pretty ironic thing to post considering the content of the rest of your post.

It's all academic anyway I don't really give two fecks if anyone else wanted him or not you'd have to be blind to think he's playing badly. Given some of the resident Caf experts wanted the woefully out of form Rashford to be our first choice striker ahead of him I dread to think how poorly we would be doing without Ibra.

 

[Fracture90]

Pretty ironic thing to post considering the content of the rest of your post.

Please do explain the irony in my post.

 

[JPRouve]

Believe in what you will but even his manager came out and said he had to tempting offers, one from Milan but UTD one's was far more lucrative.

If PSG wanted him so much why would they have waited for his last year of contact in order to extend it?

Cavani was in Zlatan's shadow in PSG for years, forced to play a winger plus he's younger and just as prolific as Zlatan was there.

They didn't, he has been offered extensions before but he postponed the negotiations until he finally decided to leave.

 

[Schmiznurf]

I would say no.

 

[El Zoido]

He's started to hit goalscoring form again, and there's no other player in the squad that could have scored the goal he scored yesterday. Some odd scapegoating going on considering that he now appears to be over his little blip. He has all the attributes needed to succeed and he's looked good so far, and he'll likely improve further as he understands how to play in this league. Good for 15+ league goals this season I reckon which would be a good return. He's past his peak but he's still good.