PSG Acquires Zlatan Ibrahimovic

By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com

Sweden captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic completed his much-anticipated move to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, saying he has joined “the dream team” after becoming the big-spending French club’s most high-profile signing yet.

PSG missed out on the Ligue 1 title last season despite spending more than €100 million ($123 million) on players and it has upped the ante this offseason, topping it all with the transfer of Ibrahimovic from AC Milan in what sporting director Leonardo dubs “the biggest deal in this club’s history.”

“I want to thank PSG and Leonardo,” Ibrahimovic said. “They made something impossible possible and now I am very happy. It’s a big step in my career, another dream come true. I know there’s been a big media interest in this. It’s been more intense than when I moved to Barcelona. I’m very excited in this project. I’m here to make history and I will enjoy all the trophies we bring home.”

Ibrahimovic has signed a three-year contract with PSG, worth a reported €14 million ($17 million) net a year, €2 million more than he earned at Milan. “It seems that I will finish my career here but that’s what I said at Milan too,” the 30-year-old Ibrahimovic said. “You never know what will happen. But I’m not thinking about that at the moment, I’m thinking about winning during my time here.”

PSG has paid a reported €20 million ($25 million) for Ibrahimovic, taking its summer spending on new players to an estimated €112 million ($137 million). The club’s Qatari owners have already signed Ibrahimovic’s former Milan teammate Thiago Silva and Napoli’s Ezequiel Lavezzi this preseason as well as midfielder Marco Verratti, who was also unveiled Wednesday after completing his move from Pescara. PSG’s huge outlay last season included spending a French record €42 million ($55.4 million) on Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore, as well as prizing away winger Jeremy Menez from Roma, midfielder Mohamed Sissoko from Juventus, defender Maxwell from Barcelona and midfielder Thiago Motta from Inter Milan.

“I come to a dream team and the dream team will continue to grow,” Ibrahimovic said. “They will do everything to win and I want to be part of that. I’m going to be playing with the best players in the world. They’ve also bought the best defender in the world, Thiago Silva, and as long as I have him behind me I don’t need to look back.

“Who doesn’t want to be here? This is the future and I believe in this, this is the most important. When you look at the team it’s really a dream team. It’s the future not only of French football but also in Europe and even the world.”

Italian media has said that Ibrahimovic was forced out of Milan after the club decided the fee for an ageing player was too good to turn down.

“I’m very happy I was there. Milan gave me my smile back,” Ibrahimovic said. “I will always have very good memories of Milan. I was very happy. I don’t want to put a shadow over my time at Milan, they made it very easy for me to come to PSG.

“I thank them and I wish them all the luck. They are a great club and I’m sure they will continue to win; they did it without me as well as with me. I did my max as an individual and for the team. I have nothing negative to say about them.”

Ibrahimovic joined Milan from Barcelona on loan in 2010 and the move was made permanent the following year. With 28 goals, Ibrahimovic was Serie A’s top scorer last season — a feat he also achieved with Inter in 2009.

The Sweden captain spent three seasons at Inter and two at Juventus, winning the Serie A title every year — although the two he won with Juventus were later revoked because of the match-fixing scandal.

Ibrahimovic also won the Dutch league twice with Ajax and the Spanish title with Barcelona before lifting another Serie A trophy with Milan.

However, Ibrahimovic refuted the suggestion that PSG, which has not won the league title since 1994, might pale in comparison with other illustrious clubs he has played for.

“I consider this team as the same level as other teams I have played for,” he said. “But we have to go out and show it on the pitch. If you look on paper we are definitely up there. But we have to show it. We have to win. Now that the dream has become reality everyone is talking about Ligue 1. Everyone should be positive about this. But it’s up to us to prove it now. We have to win.”

Ibrahimovic’s agent said Sunday that Serie A has lost its last remaining star, and Ibrahimovic agrees. “I came here because I see the future here. I don’t see the future in Italy,” he said. “What happens in Italy is their problem now. Losing two big stars like me and Thiago Silva is a big thing for the club and the championship. For sure the Italian championship without us will be more poor, but I don’t know if it will have less quality. What I know now is that with us the French championship will be better and more watched in the world.”

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