Maldini sees ‘no problem’ for promoter Ibrahimovic
AC Milan sporting director Paolo Maldini told Gazzetta dello Sport that he will soon meet Zlatan Ibrahimovic to discuss the future of the 40-year-old Swedish striker, at the end of his contract next June.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not play again until 2023. Knee surgery, the Swedish striker in a seven to eight month recovery. Under contract until June 2022 with AC Milan, where he kept “his promise” by winning the Serie A title this season, “Ibra” is not sure he is physically able to continue his career. However, the 40-year-old striker would be determined to prove the opposite.
In an interview at the Gazzetta dello Sport This Friday, Paolo Maldini, sporting director of the Lombard club, opened the door to an extension for Zlatan Ibrahimovic. “I spoke with him on Monday and we agreed on a meeting in two weeks. I see no problem in reaching an agreement, Maldini decided. Playing so little is not comfortable for him.”
“His intention is to move forward”
“Everything will be done for his good and that of Milan. From what I understand, his intention is to move forward”, also named Maldini about the survivor of the title obtained in 2011, last Scudetto of AC Milan before the one won last Sunday.
The day after his surgery in Lyon, which allowed him to reconstruct his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, Zlatan Ibrahimovic told his ordeal on Instagram on Thursday. “For the past six months, I have played without anterior cruciate ligament, summarized Ibrahimovic. Knee swollen for six months. (…) I had more than 20 injections in six months. They had to dry out my knee once a week for six months I took painkillers every day for six months I hardly slept for six months because of the pain I have never suffered so much, on and off ground.”
The Swede had already had his left knee activated in June 2021, which caused him to miss the Euros with Sweden and deactivated his start to the season. He has also suffered from Achilles tendons this season, missing many games. “I made the impossible possible. In my mind I had only one goal, allowing my partners and my coach (Stefano Pioli) to be crowned Italian champions because I had given them a promise. Today I have a new ACL and a new trophy,” Ibrahimovic concluded in his social media post.
Announced as a potential buyer of the agency of Mino Raiola, his faithful agent who died recently, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will perhaps follow the advice of his former mentor: “He would advise me to play for another ten years and to continue stealing silver.”