Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic appears ready to sign another contract renewal with AC Milan and remain at the club for the 2022-23 season, a report claims.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (via MilanNews) explains that Ibrahimovic wants to continue his playing career after the knee surgery that will keep him out until January 2023 and he could sign an agreement with a fixed part at symbolic figures and a more substantial part linked to personal and team bonuses.
He should meet with directors Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara next week, when the Swede will return to Milan to start his rehabilitation, and one of the things that will be spoken about is the plan for continuing.
Zlatan has made it clear he wishes to keep playing so all other issues – including the economic one have taken a back seat. Money is not a problem at all for the 40-year-old, who will sign a new contract with a ‘symbolic’ salary.
What convinced him to go on is the love for football and for Milan. Of course he will only be able to continue playing if he is physically well and he knee responds to the treatment as planned, but his mind is made up in the meantime.
Cardinale has a professional history with YES, i.e. a TV channel dedicated to promoting the Yankees. I guess expanding Milan-centered media is one of the top priorities of the new ownership so retaining Ibrahimovic is a no-brainer. There is probably no player more outspoken, more entertaining and unique today in an age of bland atheletes.
Thins is, Milan has had Milan Channel for a while. They just haven’t been able to harness it properly. But also distribution rights are a little different in the U.S. than they are in Italy. Yes airs all the Yankees home games as Yes in the local market (New York City and the surrounding area) and games televised on MLB.tv pick up the Yes telecast if you want to watch the Yankees telecast. Then every now and then a game is televised on a “national network”, like ESPN or Fox Sports, and they have their own steup/announcers. In Italy one entity has the rights to all clubs and they provide the announcers etc (these change by region however, as ESPN has the rights for Latin America and Paramount* (CBS) has it for the U.S.), and then I think Rai (which I used to get as well) carries a few games each week (but I don’t know if this has changed).
I am very happy that they want to continue this project of putting together an excellent blend of players. They are so incredible at this game!