Australian club Perth Glory look set to launch an ambitious attempt to tempt Zlatan Ibrahimovic over to play in the A-League.
The 38-year-old striker has been playing for LA Galaxy in the MLS since 2018 but his contract is set to expire in December, and his side recently lost the playoffs 5-3 to LAFC, meaning Ibrahimovic has most likely played his last game for the club.
According to Australian publication The Age , Perth Glory, who won the A-League last season, believe they could pull off a huge coup by convincing the former Manchester United man to sign on a short-term contract.
Glory’s chief executive Tony Pignata has confirmed the club have been in contact with Ibrahimovic’s notorious super agent Mino Raiola, saying “An approach has been made to his agent. We’ve asked the question firstly about his availability and secondly of his interest.”
Ibrahimovic was most recently linked with a return to Spain – where he spent a season at Barcelona from 2009-2010 – when he posted a short video message to his Instagram story saying “Hola Espana. I’m coming back.”
However, there is now speculation that this was a publicity stunt , with the Swede recently becoming a brand ambassador for betting firm Bethard.
It seems almost certain the outspoken Ibrahimovic will be moving on from the USA, and his comments after the play-off defeat appeared to confirm his intentions to seek a new challenge.
“What happens next year? I don’t know,” he said. “If I stay it will be good for MLS because the whole world will watch it. If I don’t stay, nobody will remember what MLS is.”
Perth Glory are thought to be aware that Ibrahimovic is unlikely to stay for a long period of time, and they are planning to offer him a deal to play from mid-November until the end of January, which is when the European transfer window opens.