If Major League Soccer supporters have had fun this week with Kei Kamara and Columbus Crew SC just wait until they see Zlatan.
For a league that at time lacks personality there was a bit of a shock that rumbled across the Twitterverse on Thursday. That shock was Zlatan.
In a tweet posted by Alessandro Alciato of Sky Sport Italy it was revealed that the Swedish international was in close negotiations with the Los Angeles Galaxy. In a subsequent report by ESPN FC’s Jeff Carlisle and Doug McIntyre it was disclosed by sources that the deal is “delicate” due to the Galaxy already having three Designated Players. It was also revealed that Zlatan’s Discovery Rights were owned by the Philadelphia Union.
Now there are obviously many things that need to be taken care to get this deal pushed through the biggest being the DPs. But assuming everything can get done and that this deal does not fall through like many deals with top stars have in the past one has to wonder: is this the best time for Zlatan to leave Europe?
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As opposed to many other stars who have come to the league, Zlatan still appears to be in top form. His 46 goals across all competitions last season was the most in his professional career. He also scored five goals in the UEFA Champions League and led Paris St. Germain to the Quarterfinals of Europe’s top international tournament.
There are also two major holes in Zlatan’s C/V that it would seem a bit odd that he would not want filled: no Champions League titles and no Premier League titles. The first one is certainly more important than the second one. Zlatan has played for some of the top sides in the world (Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Ajax, and Barcelona) and yet aside from a European Super Cup title in 2012 his continental trophy case is a bit bare.
For a player of his level not to have won a Champion League title certainly is not unusual. But it would seem a bit odd for a player of his caliber to leave at the peak of his powers without at least giving it another try.
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Not playing in England and Germany for that matter is also a bit curious considering that he has been a bit of a journeyman in his career. It would be quite a site to see Ibrahimovic suit up for Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, or Bayern Munich for at least a season and to see if he can win more silverware in more countries.
Now let’s be clear: this is not necessarily a knock against Zlatan. As a player he has already proven himself across multiple leagues that he is one of the top strikers in the world. With that distinction comes the ability to make one’s own decision on their career, something that few players actually get. Zlatan doesn’t owe anything to anyone and no matter what he does his career will be fine.
But it does still feel like it is a bit too soon for this move to happen. Perhaps it is a positive sign that MLS can now finally attract players who are still playing at a high level and not looking to fulfill their own quixotic mission of bringing soccer to America. In the end though one has to wonder if down the line Zlatan will regret making this move with greater glory still on the table.