Photo courtesy of Jon Shard, LA Galaxy.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is expected to boost the LA Galaxy’s profile on and off the field.
By Ivan Yeo
A move long rumored and long anticipated for months has finally come to fruition.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, one of the most famous and most decorated strikers in the world has finally made the move to the LA Galaxy. The team and player made the move official on Friday morning after Ibrahimovic secured his release from Manchester United.
“Coming to play in the United States, it is only fitting for me to join the most successful team in Major League Soccer, the LA Galaxy,” said Ibrahimović in a statement released by the club. “I am excited to join a club with a winning legacy that has embodied soccer in Los Angeles for over 20 years. I would like to thank everyone at the club for making it possible to play for the LA Galaxy. I am looking forward to joining my teammates, playing at StubHub Center in front of our fans and helping our team compete this season.”
Ibrahimovic’s salary is expected to be paid down mostly with Target Allocation Money, as the Galaxy’s three designated player slots are currently occupied by Giovani and Jonathan Dos Santos and Romain Alessandrini. Ibrahimovic will sign a two-year $3 million contract with the Galaxy.
“Adding one of the finest goal scorers in this sport’s history to our roster will tremendously help our club in the hunt for a sixth MLS Cup,” said LA Galaxy Head Coach Sigi Schmid. “As one of the winningest players of all time, we believe he’ll have a very positive impact on our team. We are confident that Zlatan can be one of the most dangerous strikers in our league and we are excited to integrate him into our club.”
Ibrahimovic comes to the Galaxy at an important time for the franchise. The Galaxy are looking to rebound from a disappointing 2017 campaign have split its first two games of the season, beating Portland in its season opener before dropping a road contest to New York City FC. This season is different however, as the Galaxy are facing competition for local soccer fans from MLS’ newest franchise, who reside just north of the 110 freeway in LAFC. The first year franchise has gone out of its way to attempt to win over fans, starting with its brand new Banc of California stadium, located next to the LA Coliseum just seconds from Downtown Los Angeles.
In addition to the stadium, LAFC has a star-studden ownership group featuring the likes of Peter Guber, Magic Johnson, Mia Hamm and Will Ferrell, just to name a few, LAFC also has a big-time head coach in former USMNT coach Bob Bradley and a potent roster featuring Carlos Vela, Diego Rossi, Benny Feilhaber and Laurent Ciman. LAFC has also won its first two matches of the season. All this has undoubtedly ramped up the pressure on the Galaxy to remain relevant in its own city let alone the MLS landscape.
“Signing Zlatan is a testament to the LA Galaxy brand and our incomparable success in MLS since 1996,” said LA Galaxy President Chris Klein. “In addition to our rich history, we continue to invest in building a future that will see us continue to reach new achievements. We aggressively pursued Zlatan and are extremely pleased to add him to our team.”
Ibrahimovic has featured for the likes of ManU, FC Barcelona, AC Milan and Inter Milan, Juventus and Paris Saint Germain among others over a 19-year career. His four-year stay in France with PSG was his best years, as he scored 113 goals in 122 appearances in the French capital. All-in-all, Ibrahimovic has scored 421 goals, won 11 league titles and a Europa League title with Barcelona in 2010.
Ibrahimovic is also one of the best players to ever play for Sweden. Ibrahimovic scored 62 goals for Sweden, making him their all-time leading scorer, and led Sweden to World Cup appearances in 2002 and 2006 and four Euro appearances (2004,2008, 2012 and 2016).
“The LA Galaxy are a club that have always attracted the biggest names and the most talented players in the world,” said AEG President and CEO Dan Beckerman. “Zlatan’s signing is evidence of AEG’s and LA Galaxy’s persistent, global pursuit of top athletes that lift the profile of our club, our league and our sport in this country. As the most successful club in Major League Soccer history, the LA Galaxy are the perfect fit for one of the most decorated soccer players in the sport’s history.”
Ibrahimovic is expected to be in LA some time next week and could possibly make his debut on March 31, and that match could be a good one. The Galaxy will have its first match against LAFC at the StubHub Center, possibly adding more intrigue (as if it needed any) to a long-anticipated match that will be televised on FOX.
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