The enigmatic Swedish striker has been working on short-term deals at San Siro and says another could be in the offing
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is planning on holding contract talks with AC Milan that could see him stay on at San Siro beyond his 40th birthday.
The enigmatic Swedish striker returned to familiar surroundings for a second spell in January 2020.
He initially committed to a six-month agreement, having headed back to Europe from a stint in MLS with the LA Galaxy, but soon showed that he was still capable of playing at the highest level.
As a talismanic presence for Milan, the Rossoneri were quick to tie Ibrahimovic down to further 12-month deal.
That will come to a close this summer, meaning that the 39-year-old must mull over his options once more.
He feels that he can still do a job in Serie A, having helped to inspire a title challenge this season, and is open to discussions regarding his future.
Ibrahimovic told Corriere dello Sport: “I’ll continue playing as long as I feel well. Then we’ll see, we’ll talk about my contract.
“I didn’t want to put myself in a trap with no way out, that’s why I initially signed a six-month contract which I renewed afterwards. Others made different choices.
“I don’t want to talk about how many games I’ve played, it makes me feel old. My challenge is to develop a young team now, it’s something different from what I used to do. But being successful in it makes me feel happier than when I win."
Ibrahimovic says he decided to join Milan for the challenge they posed, with success eluding the Italian giants in recent times, and he remains as determined as ever to deliver positive results.
The former Juventus and Inter frontman added: “Today I feel like a leader. The team follows me.
“Ten years ago, it was a different Milan. But even the Milan I found in 2020 was different, a young team. We work and we sacrifice. The results are not just my merit.
“We are doing great things, but we haven’t won anything yet.
“It’s still too early, there are many games left, but we don’t set limits, second-placed are just the first losers. I only want to give the best for this team, all the time, also during training.”
Ibrahimovic has plenty of talent around him at San Siro, with Italy international Gianluigi Donnarumma a highly-rated asset that will also see his current contract expire this summer.
Quizzed on whether he sees the 21-year-old staying put, Ibrahimovic said: “He is the best goalkeeper in the world, but I never tell him. He must continue to have ambition, but it’s not normal that he’s never played in the Champions League.”