AC Milan have officially announced a one-year contract renewal for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and so he’ll remain part of Stefano Pioli’s squad this season.
As per the club’s official site, the Swede has put pen to paper on a new deal that will see him remain with the Rossoneri until June 30, 2023, while it was also confirmed that he’ll continue to wear the No.11 shirt.
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In a summer where we’ve been starved of tangible transfer activity to strengthen Pioli’s squad, this is a welcome boost in itself, but it’s hoped that it is also just the first domino to fall in what is a busy fortnight ahead as we look to sign new players and bring in reinforcements to build on last season.
With regards to Ibrahimovic though, this is a key move from Milan.
Ibrahimovic concerns, but Milan influence can’t be doubted
On one hand, he turns 41 later this year, while he missed 18 games across all competitions last season due to injury.
From an Achilles issue to a knee problem, Ibrahimovic struggled to stay fit for the entire campaign last year, and although it’s to be expected that his minutes will drop given his age, that lack of availability could have hurt us had it not been for Olivier Giroud’s arrival last summer and his ability to score crucial goals.
Nevertheless, Ibrahimovic still scored eight goals and provided three assists in 23 Serie A appearances last season, and with that he showed that he can still produce at this level when involved, and he still has a pivotal role to play for Milan.
While his role will naturally lessen now, he still has the physical attributes to provide an important option to Pioli, while his experience and know-how on the pitch make him a savvy operator who can still cause defences problems.
Further, his leadership and desire to win in the dressing room should never be underestimated. He has the experience and the pedigree at the top level, and he expects the best from those around him. We may not see vintage Ibrahimovic again, but he’ll be an important voice and mentor to the Milan squad as we look to now develop a winning habit and make it a consistent theme year-on-year while also trying to become more competitive in Europe.
There is no doubt that Milan now need to focus on bringing in new players to complement what we had from last season. Particularly in the final third, we struggled at times last year and signing Ibrahimovic to a new deal isn’t going to magic those concerns away.
A fit, healthy and motivated Ibrahimovic will make a substantial contribution to us though, and if we surround him with the right pieces, he can still flourish and play a fundamental role in our push for more success this season.
