Zlatan Ibrahimovic has declared himself “the boss” at AC Milan as he discussed his new executive position with the Serie A club.
After officially rejoining Milan last December as a senior advisor, a move confirmed by the club’s owners, RedBird Capital, Ibrahimovic now plays a key role behind the scenes.
The Swedish football legend, who had two memorable spells with the Rossoneri during his playing days, is tasked with revitalising what he describes as a challenging situation at the San Siro.
“I am the boss, and I am in charge; all the others work for me,” the 42-year-old replied when asked by Sky Sports Italia about his role, via ESPN.
“When the lion goes away, the kittens arrive. When the lion comes back, the kittens disappear. The level is very low, there is too much talk but I only think about working.
I was away for personal reasons, but I have been here since day one. AC Milan enjoyed a strong summer transfer window, bringing in Tammy Abraham, Alvaro Morata, Youssouf Fofana, Strahinja Pavlovic, and Emerson Royal, and Ibrahimovic is pleased with the club’s business.
“It went exactly as we wanted, everything we looked for and was missing we got,” he added. “The last one was Abraham, to provide extra reinforcement in attack.”
Since claiming the Serie A title in 2021-22, AC Milan have watched as Inter Milan have emerged as the dominant force in Italian football. Inter not only secured the league title last season but also reached the Champions League final in 2023.
Milan, on the other hand, trailed their rivals by 19 points in the 2023-24 campaign and currently sit in 10th place after four games of the 2024-25 season.
With a lot of ground to cover, Ibrahimovic faces a tough task in restoring Milan to their former glory, but he appears more than ready for the challenge.
Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League, which preceded an awkward interview between Christian Pulisic and Thierry Henry, highlighted the gulf in class between Milan and Europe’s elite, and the USMNT star called for change ahead of this weekend’s Milan Derby.