Zlatan Ibrahimovic Set to Depart AC Milan at the End of the Season

AC Milan announced on Saturday that Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s tenure with the club will come to an end following their final match of the season against Verona.

“Tomorrow evening after the final game of the season… AC Milan will say goodbye to Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a brief ceremony,” stated Milan in an official statement.

Milan expressed their gratitude to Ibrahimovic for the fantastic time they have had together. The veteran striker’s representatives declined to comment on whether he plans to retire after leaving Milan.

According to Italian media reports, Ibrahimovic is likely to join Monza next season, reuniting with former Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi and his associate Adriano Galliani.

Berlusconi, the former Italian prime minister, sold Milan for €740 million in 2017 after a successful three-decade reign and subsequently acquired Monza for a significantly lower sum the following year. It was Berlusconi who brought Ibrahimovic to Milan on loan from Barcelona in 2010, a season in which the Swede helped secure the Serie A title, marking Milan’s most recent league triumph until last season when they clinched the Scudetto by narrowly edging out local rivals Inter Milan on the final day.

Since his return to the club as a free agent in late 2019, Ibrahimovic played a pivotal role in Milan’s resurgence, lifting them from a period of struggle and guiding them to the league title last season.

However, the 41-year-old has been plagued by injuries this season, resulting in limited appearances for Stefano Pioli’s side. He made his comeback in February after undergoing knee surgery in May. In July, Ibrahimovic signed a contract that included a fixed salary of around €1 million ($1.02 million), along with significant bonuses tied to appearances and achievements.

During the current campaign, Ibrahimovic started just one match and scored one goal, making him the oldest goal scorer in Serie A history during Milan’s 3-1 victory against Udinese in March. Unfortunately, he sustained a calf injury during a pre-match warm-up in April, which will sideline him for the remainder of his Milan career.

Milan currently occupies the fourth position in Serie A and is guaranteed a spot in the Champions League next season. They were eliminated by Inter Milan in the semi-finals of the Champions League last month.