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AC MILAN

Berlusconi wants Ibrahimovic for his third division team Monza

"Ibrahimovic for Milan? I hope he comes to Monza," former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi told journalists on the sidelines of a regional initiative of his Forza Italia political party in Milan.

Published: 15 December 2019 09:43 CET
Berlusconi wants Ibrahimovic for his third division team Monza
Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic during his glory days at AC Milan. Photo: Giuseppe Cacace / AFP
It was Berlusconi who brought the Swedish star footballer to AC Milan in the summer of 2010. He said on Saturday that he now hoped Zlatan Ibrahimovic would sign for his modest, third division club Monza amid reports the Swedish star is set to return to Italy.
 
Berlusconi's 30-year ownership of the club ended in 2017 when he sold the seven-time European and 18-time Serie A champions to a consortium led by Chinese businessman Li Yonghong.
   
US fund Elliott took over last year after Li defaulted on a loan to buy the club.
   
Berlusconi purchased Monza in September 2018 for around three million euros having sold Milan for 740 million.
   
The club from the north-east of Milan are currently leading Serie C. Ibrahimovic fuelled speculation that he is set to return to the peninsula after saying in a recent interview: “See you soon in Italy”.
   
The 38-year-old striker left Los Angeles Galaxy following the club's elimination from the Major League Soccer playoffs. AC Milan, Napoli, Roma and Bologna have been touted as clubs interested in signing the veteran.
   
Ibrahimovic played for two seasons between 2010 and 2012 with AC Milan, helping them to their last Serie A title, and scoring 42 goals in 61 league appearances. He also won three league titles with Inter Milan, and two with Juventus, which were both revoked following the 'Calciopoli' match-fixing scandal.
   
Should Ibrahimovic choose Monza, it may be something of a culture shock. Formed in 1912, Monza were demoted to Serie D following bankruptcy in 2015. Their Stadio Brianteo home has a capacity of just over 18,000 but current restrictions mean that only 7,500 fans can be accommodated.    
 
AC Milan, meanwhile, mark their 120th anniversary this weekend against Sassuolo.
   
Coach Stefano Pioli refused to speculate on possible arrivals, as the club sit tenth in Serie A. “There's time to make evaluations, the transfer window is in January and still a long way off,” said Pioli. “For now, I'm very happy with my players. Discussions are taking place with the club on a daily basis, we'll see.”

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IBRAHIMOVIC

Zlatan has been ‘cured’ of coronavirus: AC Milan

AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been given the all-clear to end his quarantine period and return to action after testing negative for coronavirus, the Serie A club announced on Friday.

Published: 10 October 2020 10:27 CEST
Zlatan has been 'cured' of coronavirus: AC Milan
Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring a goal in September. Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP
Milan confirmed in a statement that the Swedish striker had “tested negative” twice in a row, as stipulated in the protocol to be able to lift the quarantine procedure.
   
Ibrahimovic, 39, sounded a more triumphal note on his social media: “You are cured! The health authority says the quarantine is over, you can go out!”, he wrote on Twitter.

The announcement comes a day after Milan said Ibrahimovic had tested positive a second time for Covid-19, putting in doubt his participation in the Milan derby on October 17.
 
   
Ibrahimovic first tested positive on September 24.
   
The derby remains in doubt with two other Milan players and five from Inter currently in self-quarantine.
   
In spite of his absence, Milan have made a decent start to the season, having climbed to second in Serie A after winning all three of their games and reaching the group stages of the Europa League.
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