A maverick and an enigma are two words that aptly describe Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but he was undeniably one of the greatest players of his generation. His distinguished career saw him traverse all over Europe, and he served with distinction at several of the biggest clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, and AC Milan.
Although he hung up his boots last summer, rather than fade into the background, Ibrahimovic has offered his expertise to Milan in an advisory role. In this piece, we will take a closer look at how he continues to shape things off the field.
Transfer influence
During his Milan career, Ibrahimovic certainly knew where the back of the net was. 93 goals pundered across 163 matches in all competitions which is a testament to that. He helped Milan scale the heights of Italian football, and there were some truly unforgettable moments.
Now, in operating as an advisor to Milan, he has been able to pass on his expertise and give the board a much wider perspective on negotiating transfers. Indeed, it transpired that Ibrahimovic and Geoffrey Moncada, the club’s technical director, initially set their sights on a deal for Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee, however, a deal fell through as Zirkzee joined Manchester United. Ibrahimovic, however, was beavering away on an alternative plan.
This Plan B involved Alvaro Morata, and Ibrahimovic supposedly took the lead on things. Such is Ibrahimovic’s influence that he reached out and contracted the Atletico Madrid hitman, who was recently crowned European champion with Spain, and he got a deal over the line. Ibrahimovic has never been afraid to exert his influence, and he knows what he wants when he sees it.
Winning mentality
One of the things that defines top footballers is a winning mentality. For Ibrahimovic that hasn’t evaporated since he quit the game. If anything, he has an insatiable appetite for success, and he wouldn’t just throw himself at any opportunity. It has to be something that will be worth his time in the long term.
In a recent interview, he explained how the advisory role with Milan materialised. He said: “He made me the proposal to return to Milan as an operating partner for RedBird. I explained to Gerry: ‘If I have to join Milan it must be a winning project’. I don’t accept losing, I have to and want to win. And I will win.
“Gerry replied ‘Welcome to the club’. We have the same ambition. We started from there and after 6 months my hair is gray but we take it step by step. We talked a lot before starting this adventure. I met the person and we speak the same language, we have the same thoughts.”
Increasing the intensity on the field is something that doesn’t faze Ibrahimovic, but as a born winner, a return to Milan was just too good to ignore.
Bridging the gap
Instilling a sense of belief in the squad is paramount given that Milan recently hired Paulo Fonseca as their new manager after parting ways with Stefano Pioli, who left by mutual consent.
One of the major concerns facing Milan going into the new season is that they have a lot of ground to make up on inner-city rivals Inter. Last season, Milan finished a whopping 19 points behind Inter, and getting back on a level footing or at least bridging the gap will be at the forefront of Ibrahimovic’s mind, and it won’t be an easy task.
The Serie A always makes for intriguing viewing, but it’s not just on the pitch where the drama will unfold. Bettors looking to indulge in soccer betting online will be spoilt for choice when it comes to sites to play at.
Operators such as Tonybet will be well endowed with a myriad of pre-match and live betting lines to keep bettors entertained. Not only that, but they will post plenty of futures months in advance so users can line up their selections early before the season gets underway.
The next phase
While Ibrahimovic hasn’t quite gone full circle, his Milan legacy as a player was already cemented. Of course, returning to an old club in any capacity can be inherently dangerous, but Ibrahimovic exudes confidence and he lights up a room.
The way he projects his vision has to be heard by Milan especially if he wants to make his mark. However, judging by the early signs, he has already made some changes, and it will be fascinating to see how things transpire for the club next season.
This is very encouraging