Ibrahimovic knee surgery means career could be OVER

FT Desk

25 May 2022 16:09 BST
3 min read

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Milan, Serie A, 2021/22 — © ProShots

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's career could be over with the 40-year-old striker set to undergo surgery on a knee injury that normally takes up to eight months to recover from.

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Zlatan defied Father Time once again in 2021/22, contributing eight goals and three assists as AC Milan secured the Serie A title for the first time since 2011, which was during his previous spell at the club.

Only 11 of Ibrahimovic's 23 games were starts, though, as club and player looked to manage his fitness. With his contract up at the San Siro in June, the veteran Swede could have a decision to make on his future.

Milan announced on Wednesday that Ibrahimovic had undergone keyhole surgery at Lyon's Hopital Jean Mermoz, with the club saying the surgery had been planned for some time.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: The BOSS of BOSSES 😎 pic.twitter.com/n7EGSkzm3Y
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) May 22, 2022

"The arthroscopy had been planned for a while to definitively resolve the joint's instability through the reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament, with lateral reinforcement and meniscus reparation," read an official club statement.

"The operation was a complete success and the prognosis is estimated between seven and eight months."

Is this the end of the line for Zlatan?

It isn't the first time Ibrahimovic has undergone surgery on a serious knee injury. When at Manchester United, the then-35-year-old damaged his meniscus and cruciate ligament in a Europa League tie against Anderlecht, and doctors told him then that his career might be over.

The striker responded with a post on his Instagram which read: "They said it was over. I said NO!"

Fast-forward five years and Ibrahimovic has banged in the goals with both LA Galaxy - 53 in 58 games! - as well as with Milan.

His contract may be up, but Milan still have time to negotiate with a player who is relieved to be back playing in one of Europe's major leagues, and given what happened the last time he was crocked, it wouldn't be safe to write him off yet.

And if he does go, he has done so on his own terms.