Cheers for the updates guys.
The confusing thing about the 24 hour timeout is that both parties came out of the meeting today saying they would continue negotiations tomorrow and probably over the weekend, and suddenly a few hours later there's a concrete offer that Zlatan has to take a decision on? I don't know what I missed in this series of events.
Zlatan did not take part in the training that took place at 19.00 tonight, officially for an injury he got during the Trofeo Gamper game against Milan yesterday. I don't know who Barca think they are kidding, though.
I have no idea where Milan got the kind of money to pay the reported €40 m fee, even if it's payable over the extension of the contract which I guess would be 4 years. Even when they have bought star players like Ronaldinho, they have negociated with almost embarassing frugality.
But it's still very confusing. Coming out of the meeting, Raiola was adamant that the parties were no closer than yesterday. Maybe Raiola tried to stand his ground to prevent Milan's suggested wage cut but couldn't move Galliani. Italian sources say that Zlatan is proposed €8 m net per year, a 33% wage cut.
A curiosity is that in the summer of 2006, when Zlatan was leaving Juventus that were demoted to Serie B for their role in the Calciopoli scandal, everything was agreed and ready for him to arrive to AC Milan. The only requirement Zlatan had was that AC Milan must to qualify to the Champions League. And, on the very night when Milan was playing their decisive qualifying game - and actually won the qualification -, Moratti and Inter made a lightning fast deal with Raiola, blowing Milan out of the water, and Zlatan landed at the black and blue side of the city.
One can only hope that City uses the 24 hours to make an offer neither Barca nor Zlatan can refuse. As just mentioned, Raiola and Zlatan are not shy to change their minds last minute if a more attractive option turns up.
