Former Manchester United and Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to renew his contract with his current club AC Milan. According to reports, the Serie A champions will announce the new contract for 40 years old Ibrahimovic next week.
The Sweden international became a free agent earlier this month after his contract with AC Milan expired. However, the club is not ready to release him even though he’s getting old and has also undergone knee surgery in May.
The 40-year-old sustained a major knee injury and it is predicted to keep him out until January, but according to reports, Zlatan spoke with club representatives this week, and a deal announcement is soon to come.
With eight goals and three assists in 23 games for the Rossoneri, Ibrahimovic was a big contributor to Milan’s first trophy in 11 years last season.
Even though the widely traveled striker is nearing the end of his career, Milan manager Stefano Pioli views Ibrahimovic as an important member of the team and a role model for the rest of his group. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored 36 goals in 74 games since returning to Milan in 2019 for the Italian giants.
This is Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s second spell in AC Milan after he was with them from 2010 to 2012, and also helped the team win the Serie A championship. Prior to the new season, Milan already improved their attacking options by securing the services of Belgian forward Divock Origi after his contract with Liverpool expired.
In addition to Origi and Ibrahimovic staying longer, the defending champions also have Olivier Giroud and Ante Rebic as attacking alternatives. Alessandro Florenzi of Roma and Junior Messias of Brazil from Crotone were both added to the team this summer.
Milan are finalizing Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s contract extension.
— WGM 🇮🇹🏆 (@WhatGattusoMad) July 15, 2022
The official announcement will arrive next week.
(Source: @AntoVitiello)
However, the departure of Franck Kessie, who joined Barcelona, has left their team weaker. Romelu Lukaku’s return to Inter earlier this month on a season-long loan from Chelsea may have reignited their rivalry and Ibrahimovic’s stay at the San Siro may do the same. The two notoriously fought during a Milan Coppa Italia derby in 2021, during which the Swede made fun of Lukaku’s mother’s “voodoo rituals” and was sent off.
Ibrahimovic, who played the second half of last season despite the pain in his left knee without an ACL, will have to wait until after his knee surgery before facing Inter. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain striker posted a graphic video of his knee being drained of synovial fluid on his social media platforms last month.
