Could Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s best move be to Arsenal, Manchester United, or elsewhere?

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic; modern football’s restless superstar, is enjoying another vintage season, with 27 goals in 22 games in Ligue 1 and four in eight Champions League matches. Since 1st December, the Swedish centre-forward has netted 21 times in 19 games across all competitions. Sceptics who questioned Ibra’s performance and place in the PSG XI in November have been silenced and vanquished, as has all before him in Ligue 1, with PSG wrapping up the title with a 9-0 thumping of Troyes. He is just three goals from his Ligue 1 career-high of 30, and is somehow getting better at the age of 34.

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Not only is he converting his shots at a higher than ever rate at 24.6% (compared to 22% last year, 16% in 2013/14 and 19% in 2012/13) but he is shooting from a closer range – he was averaging 63 shots from outside of the box in his first two seasons and is now in the 30s the last two campaigns. 25 of the Swede’s 27 goals have also come from inside the box. He has even improved as a passer, from a career 76% to an astonishing 82% this year! His recent first half pass map below in the Champions League game against Chelsea is a shining example of how Zlatan is reinventing himself and arguably the centre-forward position as a whole.

His speed might not be what it once was, and the Ajax days of jinking his way past five defenders with a staggering combination of strength, dribbling and speed are gone, but Zlatan has proven that he is still a top striker. With Edinson Cavani’s 14 goals being second on the French league’s goalscorer’s list, it is hardly a surprise that Ibra has outgrown Ligue 1. Having never stayed longer than three seasons anywhere, it has not come as a shock that Ibra has all but announced that he will in all likelihood make the switch away from PSG over the summer. With that in mind, let us take a look at some of the notable potential candidates to sign the 34-year-old Swedish genius. 

We can all agree that based on Zlatan’s recent form, China, the MLS, the Mexican league, Qatar and other financially appealing options are probably a couple of seasons away. The Serie A – been there done that. In Spain, Real Madrid sounds intriguing in theory, as I suspect Zlatan and loyalty to his former side Barcelona are two mutually exclusive concepts, but I’m not sure if any team could carry the egos of both Zlatan and Cristiano Ronaldo.

I believe that it is also fair to eliminate Manchester City because of the incumbent Pep Guardiola, a man who is reportedly not exactly top of Zlatan’s Christmas card list. Liverpool and Tottenham appear to be a poor stylistic fit, due to managerial style and squad age, although I think we would all pay good money to be a fly on the wall in the hypothetical conversations in which Pochettino and Klopp try to explain Zlatan the finer points of Gegenpressing.

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It is also highly doubtful that smaller clubs could afford his services and as we recall, a 19-year-old Zlatan rejecting the Gunners with the famous “Zlatan doesn’t do auditions” line, one can imagine how he would feel about playing for the likes of Stoke City or Crystal Palace, with no offence meant to either club. Everton have Lukaku, and Newcastle United look increasingly likely to be destined for Championship football. Southampton are perhaps an intriguing option as Ronald Koeman and Zlatan have worked together at Ajax before with a fruitful relationship forming between the pair, but the Saints will in all likelihood miss qualifying for the European cups next year and that is a deal-breaker in landing Ibra. Imagine Payet and the Swedish superstar Ibra at West Ham, and with all due respect to Michail Antonio’s recent form, they could use a big target man. Slaven Bilic has ruled it out, but there are some persistent rumours and the Hammers are just a sole point behind Man City in fourth spot and the revered prize of Champions League football!

Having narrowed down the field, read on to find out who I think are the top 3 Zlatan destinations…