Zlatan Ibrahimovic will stay at AC Milan for another season and has extended his agreement with the Italian club until summer 2023. The legendary Swedish striker had his contract due to expire in the summer, but negotiations for a renewal began immediately at the end of the season when AC Milan captured their first Scudetto since 2011 and the 19th in club history. For the 40-year-old Ibramhimovic, this was the seventh time he’s reached the mountaintop of Serie A football, and he’ll get at least one more chance to repeat that feat.
The club announced the renewal on Monday: “AC Milan is pleased to announce the renewal of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s contract until June 30, 2023. The Swedish forward will continue to wear the No. 11 shirt.”
Ibrahimovic scored eight goals in 28 matches across all competitions this past season under Stefano Pioli. He will earn approximately €1.5 million for next season as he currently recovers from offseason knee surgery that will likely keep him sidelined until 2023. The new contract includes also a series of add-ons that will vary based on his performances on the pitch, which could increase his fixed salary.
Despite suffering yet another knee injury, Ibrahimovic is not ready to call time on his storied career. The offseason surgery for someone that age could certainly debilitate any chances of a comeback, but this is not the first time that Ibrahimovic has faced the prospect of a possible career-ending injury. Near the end of the 2016-17 season with Manchester United, Ibrahimovic injured his right knee, sustaining serious ligament damage. The injury kept him out until the following November. Eventually, he returned for United before moving to the Los Angeles Galaxy in MLS. It was with the Galaxy where he played himself back into peak shape before returning to AC Milan for the 2020-21 season.
