Ibrahimovic Edging Towards PSG Exit
Despite assurances to the contrary earlier this month, it’s looking increasingly likely that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer. The prolific striker continues to be linked with a return to former club, AC Milan, and recently it was reported he was offered a three-year deal with Manchester United.
Ibrahimovic has spent three years with PSG, helping to propel the capital club to the pinnacle of French football and to establish it as a European power. However last season the Swede fell afoul of fans and the French public with a profanity-laced tirade against France and French football. With a season hampered by injuries, Ibra failed to win the golden boot for the top scorer in Ligue 1 for the first time since moving to France.
Speaking to Sky Sports Italia this week, the striker refused to pour cold water on speculation, saying that his “future is in the hands of [his agent] Mino Raiola.” Pressed for a response to Ibra’s comments, Raiola refused to be drawn, saying, “if you want to know what he means, ask him.”
While the links with a return to the Rossoneri have been ongoing, the possibility of the former Ajax and Inter Milan man joining the Red Devils has only emerged more recently. But while Man United manager Louis van Gaal has promised a “surprise” signing this summer, Ibrahimovic told SI his relationship with the Dutch manager is “not good” due to their time together at Ajax.
Ibrahimovic stopped short of saying his fractious relationship with van Gaal would prevent him from making a move to Manchester United, but it seems likely that if the Swede were to leave PSG it would be for AC Milan. Ibrahimovic spent two prolific seasons with the Rossoneri, winning the Scudetto and the Italian Supercoppa.
Milan are in the midst of a summer rebuild under new manager Sinisa Mihajlovic. The club has already signed two strikers: Carlos Bacca from Sevilla, and Luiz Adriano from Shakhtar Donetsk, as well as midfielder Andrea Bertolacci, who joins from Genoa. However earlier this summer Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi said he would “very much” like to see Ibrahimovic wearing the red and black of the Rossoneri once again.
While Ibrahimovic’s next destination remains to be seen, the Swede told Yahoo Sports while on PSG’s preseason tour of the United States that he would like to play in Major League Soccer before ending his career.