This summer one of the most high profile European strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Barcelona could be set to move clubs.
He seems to divide opinion amongst European football fans. His critics say he doesn’t perform on the big stage and is too inconsistent but his admirers will claim he has the talent to turn any game with the stroke of his boot.
Temperamental
Ibrahimovic is known to have a questionable temperament. Some even believe that his temperament has prevented him from becoming a truly great footballer.
At times he doesn’t seem interested but he’s also very much a confidence player.
Last season he suffered from a lack of confidence. Usually the 28 year-old Swede is confident in his own ability but a goal drought saw him fluffing chances left, right and centre.
Competition
The big money arrival of Spanish international David Villa from Valencia will provide him with further competition for his place next season. He knows that Barca play with one central striker and that Barca boss Pep Guardiola is unlikely to change his formation.
It seems that Villa has been brought in to replace the underperforming striker. Villa is a proven goalscorer in La Liga, whereas Ibrahimovic struggled for goals last season in his first campaign in Spain’s top flight. He scored 16 goals for the Blaugrana but it wasn’t seen as enough for a Barcelona striker.
Somebody asked me last summer, before Ibrahimovic joined Barca who I’d prefer Barca to sign David Villa or Zlatan Ibrahimovic? I said they both had their strengths but I would take Villa because even when he’s not scoring goals he’s working hard for the team. Ibrahimovic doesn’t show the same work rate.
Comparisons
He has had to live with comparisons with the player he replaced Samuel Eto’o. They are two completely different players and it’s unfair to compare them. Eto’o hasn’t exactly scored a bagful of goals in Serie A this season but he still did a good job for his team, often out of position.
Talks
Ibrahimovic’s agent Mino Raiola is said to be set for talks with new Barcelona president Sandro Rosell over the future of the Swede. He has already stated that he wants talks sooner rather than later, if Raiola is informed that Ibrahimovic can move on then Raiola will have to get to work finding him a new home.
Possibilities
Even before the talks have taken place between Ibrahimovic’s agent and the Barca president possible destinations have been mooted. Like most footballers Ibrahimovic has been linked with a move to Manchester City this summer.
He has also been linked with a return to Serie A with Inter’s city neighbours AC Milan. Ibrahimovic is believed to favour a move back to Milan in order to play Champions League football. A former-Inter hero I don’t think their fans will take too kindly to him moving to their bitter-rivals.
Barcelona would want to reclaim a huge chunk of the massive fee they paid for the striker last summer but that wouldn’t prove a problem for super-rich Manchester City. He’s already played in Holland, Spain and Italy maybe it’s time he tried his luck in England.
Unfortunately I don’t think he would suite the style of the English Premier League. He is in the same mould of as City’s current striker Robinho. He has plenty of skill and vision but lacks the temperament and work rate necessary to play in England’s top flight.
Pressure
Wherever Ibrahimovic ends up next season there will be pressure on him to perform. If he stays at Barcelona he faces a struggle to keep a first team place. Maybe a move away from the high-profile settings of the Nou Camp would do the Swede a world of good.
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