By Steve Amoia
Contributing Writer


Zlatan Ibrahimovic embarks on a new experience in Milan but this time on the other side of the San Siro. For the fifth time in his stellar career (he began his career with Malmö), the tall Swede has changed clubs without much regret or emotion. He is cut in the mold of a pragmatic freelancer. Even if he is often portrayed by the media as a greedy, arrogant mercenary who changes teams when it suits him.

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I recall a quote last year by Massimo Moratti, the patron of Internazionale. Moratti discussed his last meeting with Ibrahimovic before the transfer to Barcelona:

"He doesn't let emotions interfere with his career decisions. He makes choices for professional reasons."

World Record in Transfer Fees

Marca.com:nessun giocatore al mondo è stato pagato 4 volte più di 20 milioni dieuro come lui. Complessivamente, nei trasferimenti Ajax, Juventus,Inter, Barcellona e Milan è stato pagato 168,6 milioni: nessuno mainella storia del calcio ha mosso così tanto denaro".

According to Marca.comin Madrid, no other player in the world has been transferred four timesfor more than 20 million euro. All summed up, in the transfers fromAjax Amsterdam, Juventus, Internazionale, Barcelona and AC Milan, 168.6 million euro were paid. Nobody else in the history of world football has cost this much money."

Milan Brings Back a Smile to Ibra

"Mihanno ridato il sorriso. Vado via con grandi motivazioni per fareancora meglio, nella vita si cambia, non tutto può andare come pensi.Farò di tutto per vincere col Milan, anche in Champions. E' uno dei piùforti club al mondo, ancora più grande del Barcellona. Sonocontentissimo. Lo sono entrambe le parti, andare lì era quello chevolevo. Con Ronaldinho e Pato avremo un attacco fortissimo. Non credoche gli interisti pensino a me adesso, loro hanno vinto tutto, hannoaltro a cui pensare. Se saluterò Guardiola? Adesso è meglio di no".

"They brought back a smile to my face. I'm going forward with great motivations to still do well. In life, you change and everything can't go as you think. I will do everything to win with Milan and also in the Champions League. It is one of the strongest clubs in the world and still bigger than Barcelona. I am very happy. They (Milan management)are too. Going there is what I wanted. With Ronaldinho and Pato, we will have a very strong attack. I don't believe that the Inter fans think about me now. They have won everything and have something else to think about.


Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola and ex Barcelona forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic


Will I say good-bye to Pep Guardiola? Now it is better not to."

Planning to Leave Before He Even Arrives

"Sono venuto per vincere e non lascerò questa squadra prima di aver vinto tutto".

"I came here to win and won't leave this team before having won everything."

Note how Ibrahimovic has already mapped his next move which is consistent with his entire career. He sweats blood, loyalty and commitment to the shirt but always keeps his options open.

A Reminder to Inter Milan

"Dell'Inter ho un grande ricordo. Insieme abbiamo fatto tanto ma quello è il  passato e poi i nerazzurri hanno vinto tutto e stanno pensando ad altro,non a me". Finchè non sono arrivato all'Inter, non avevano vinto nulla".

"Regarding Inter, I have a great remembrance. Together we did so much but that is in the past and now they have won everything and are thinking of other things. Not of me. Up until I arrived at Inter, they had not won anything."


Photo Reuters
New AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic and AC Milan VP Adriano Galliani arriving from Barcelona to Milan, Italy
Sunday, August 29, 2010


Adriano Galliani: Champagne Attack

"Èun attacco con tante bollicine, lo paragonerei allo champagne"... È un giocatore molto importante, mi sembra che si sposi perfettamente conPato e Ronaldinho. Adesso a livello tecnico siamo tra le prime squadredel mondo, e torniamo al nostro ruolo naturale di squadra che compete aimassimi livelli".

Adriano Galliani, who negotiated what seemed like an impossible deal last week, was obviously over the top with joy and anticipation.

"Itis an attack with so many bubbles. I would compare it to champagne...He is a very important player. It seems to me that he fits in perfectlywith Pato and Ronaldinho. Now on a technical level, we are among the topsides in the world and we will return to our natural role as a complete  team at the highest levels."

Italian source: La Gazzetta dello Sport, 28-29 August 2010.

Steve Amoia is a freelance writer, editor and translator from Washington, D.C. He is the founder, editor and writer of the World Football Commentaries blog. He has written for AC Cugini Scuola Calcio (Italian soccer school), Football Media, Italian Soccer Serie A, Keeper Skool and Soccerlens.


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