New legislations have been released as a consequence of the Assange mess, making it more difficult to extradite somebody to another nation as long as he is only wanted for questioning, but charges or warrants not being raised. This could be what he is referring to when hinting at a possible deal in the works. I do not think currently that he just steps out, goes to Sweden and accepts the risk of being handed over to the US.
That such new legislation was introduced shows that even the officials have realised that there is something smelly in the situation as it was allowed to become reality two years ago.
It reminds of the way they took out Strauss-Kahn to prevent him voting on an important vote over some Euro policies back then, he was alleged to have forced a servant girl for oral sex while he already was leaving. As the just deceased Peter Scholl-Latour commented on the abstruseness of the whole plot: "She rather could have just bitten into it - then the whole story would have been over immediately."
Sex not only sells, it also defames better than anything else. New relevations by a post-Snowden source claim that the NSA is systetmiacally tracking the itnernet behavior and porn consummation of opposing politicians in and outside the US, to collect material by which they could be blackmailed if the "need" arises.