Paris St-Germain's raid on AC Milan is complete.
Days after adding centerback Thiago Silva, the club has finalized the purchase of mercurial striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic from the Rossoneri, according to Italian publication Gazzetta Dello Sport.
Current PSG sporting director and former AC Milan player and coach Leonardo told the outlet that the signing, which has been in the works for the last week, is complete. Ibrahimovic is expected to be introduced on Wednesday, and PSG has scheduled a press conference for the afternoon, according to the club's official website.
The signing is the latest in a landmark offseason for the big-spending French power, which landed Ezequiel Lavezzi from Napoli prior to signing Thiago Silva. Ibrahimovic, Serie A's leading scorer a season ago, is the biggest capture of them all as the Qatari-owned club tries to make good on its plan of becoming the next superpower in world soccer. The move also represents Ibrahimovic's first foray into France after career stops in his native Sweden, Holland, Italy and Spain.
U.S. soccer fans will be able to see the new-look club first-hand in the coming weeks, as PSG plays Chelsea at Yankee Stadium on July 22 before facing D.C. United at RFK Stadium on July 28.
What do you think of this development? Do you see PSG becoming a world power with their new acquisitions? Do you think Ibrahimovic will win Ligue 1's golden boot?
Share your thoughts below.
I think the point is at least he has been in a lot of big competitions, while Clint hasn’t. Yes he is 30 but he is a veteran of the “big time”. Clint, who is roughly the same age cannot match that experience.
It is possible that if you had replaced Zlatan with Clint everywhere Zlatan has been Clint would have done better but we will never be able to prove it will we?
And if you are the guy spending all that money for PSG on a new goal scorer to lead you to the promised land who do you think will be easier to sell to your bosses, Zlatan or Dempsey?
League titles are won by teams and I think you’d find a lot of people that feel Zlatan disappears in big competitions.
Zlatan. I would have loved to see you in England. To show the critics they’re wrong about you. He needs to get on his A game for Sweden if they wanna make it to the next WC.
ESPN3 plays a lot of the French games.
Blah… one of my favorite players going to a league I’ll never get to watch play, at least milan got some air time…
Remember that Zlatan is arguably one of the top 10 strikers over the past 5 years. Plus he has scored goals in the European championships. 2 goals in each of the past 3 tournaments. He’s played for some of the biggest clubs in the world.
He’s ZLATAN. Dempsey has been 1 of the best wingers for the past 2 years. But nothing compared to Zlatan. Dempsey has to score some goals at the next WC to really showcase to the world just how great he is.
It’s all bias really. Against an American player. If he can move to Arsenal/Liverpool and play well, and if Bradley can do well at Roma, you can beat whenever teams go for someone like Brek Shea, they will come at him right and not give BS offers.
US soccer is growing and our players are being respected but it will take decades more until we have a true superstar who everyone respects.
that was an extreme case of patroitism
Right in front of Michael.
I love Dempsey but he is not on the level of someone like Zlatan. Zlatan has won league titles and scored vital goals everywhere he has played since leaving Sweden. Dempsey just had a great season but, he is not considered one of the great players playing in Europe.
“What do you think of this development? Do you see PSG becoming a world power with their new acquisitions? Do you think Ibrahimovic will win Ligue 1’s golden boot?”
**I would say I am a bit annoyed. He is 30 right? So why is it that he gets the big name clubs talking about him and willing to spend money and his age is not mentioned. However, you have Dempsey who is a year or so younger….and one of the first things mentioned as to why a big name club (other then Liverpool with a US owner) is not knocking down his door is about how the big clubs are looking for the next big, but younger player, or a player already on a big squad. They just say that he is a bit old so clearly something like 5mill is about as much as you might want to pay for a transfer if he is even worth a shot because of his “age”…..yet players from England, Spain, France, Brazil or even Sweden dont seem to have the “age issue” unless they are 33, 34, etc. Do NOT get me wrong…it should be great for him and PSG..he is a massive talent…I just find it odd that the biggest issue keeping Dempsey from getting more CL looks that gets mentioned is his “age” while other big deals still take place for players at the same age or older..just not from the US (unless they are a goalie of course)
not bad…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dibxOb4nZMs
Very off topic but I am sure will interest at least a couple of people. I just noticed that Terence Boyd’s Rapid Wien is playing right a friendly against AS Roma and the match is being streamed on the Internet. The game appears to still be in the first half.
Because of Milan selling their two best players to PSG it is almost a guarantee that PSG will win Ligue 1 and Juventus will win the Scudetto.
Great. I have a new team to hate.