AC Milan preparing Zlatan Ibrahimovic contract renewal - report

According to Gazzetta, Milan are readying a contract renewal for Zlatan that includes bonuses for achieving certain targets such as securing Champions League football in a deal structured similarly to that of a manager.

Zlatan, who joined Milan from LA Galaxy in January, currently has a contract which expires at the end of August.

The Swedish marksman bagged 10 goals in 18 Serie A games to become the oldest player ever to hit double figures in a Serie A season and help the Italian giants to a 6th place finish in the league, but he will be keen to guide the club to their first top-four finish since the 2012-13 season.

Originally it seemed a near certainty that the 38-year-old would leave the Rossoneri for the second time in his career after a fruitful spell from 2010 to 2012 at the club, but Stefano Pioli having his stay as manager extended by two years, after some speculation that he could be replaced by Ralf Rangnick, has caused both parties to change tact.

After netting twice last Wednesday evening against Sampdoria, the eccentric striker compared himself to Benjamin Button - the protagonist of a 2008 film starring Brad Pitt who ages in reverse - due to him still being in fantastic shape and maintaining a brilliant goalscoring record in spite of his age.

That will be music to the ears of Milan manager Pioli and CEO Gazidis, especially considering Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera are claiming a new contract for Zlatan could amount to a fixed salary of €4.5million plus a further €2million in bonuses.