Dimitar Berbatov moves closer to Manchester United exit as contract talks break down

Dimitar Berbatov’s contract talks with Manchester United have broken down and the Premier League’s leading scorer could be heading out of Old Trafford this summer.

Berbatov was told the club were ready to hand him a two-year extension to his current deal, which runs out in in June 2012, during initial negotiations just before Christmas and was confident of putting pen to paper before the end of the season.

But when the Bulgarian returned to the negotiating table earlier this year, the offer had been downgraded to a one-year rolling deal, albeit on improved terms.

United are prepared to hike his wages from £80,000-a-week to around £120,000-a-week as reward for his role in propelling the club to a six-point lead in the Premier League table.

However, there has been no indication from the Old Trafford hierarchy over the last six weeks that a longer contract will be on offer.

Berbatov, who did not travel with the squad to Gelsenkirchen for Tuesday night’s semi-final first leg against Schalke because of a groin injury, is unhappy that he has been relegated down the United pecking order in that time despite heading the Premier League scoring charts with 21 goals.

“Hernandez was not expected to perform as well as he has and the return of Wayne Rooney to top form has also weakened Berbatov’s case for a longer contract.”

source//goal.com