Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not return to the pitch for AC Milan, but will maintain a significant influence at the club following his retirement, according to reports from Milan. The Swedish forward has been offered and accepted a stake in RedBird, the American fund that owns Milan, positioning him as a key advisor to owner Gerry Cardinale.
While not formally a director within the club’s organizational structure, Ibrahimovic will serve as a senior advisor, leveraging his extensive footballing experience in technical decisions. This arrangement differs from the approach made to Paolo Maldini, who was offered a similar role but ultimately declined. Cardinale values Ibrahimovic’s willingness to learn and adapt to a managerial role, a trait Maldini did not share.
Ibrahimovic’s influence will be particularly crucial in the selection of a new head coach and the restructuring of the technical area. He reportedly discussed these matters with Cardinale during a recent dinner. Currently, he is the only member of RedBird with a background in professional football, making his insight particularly valuable. Cardinale is said to appreciate Ibrahimovic’s eagerness to learn despite his established career as a prolific goalscorer.
Despite his advisory role, Ibrahimovic will not be involved in the day-to-day running of the club, as Milan seeks to appoint an administrator, a technical director, and a sporting director. This will allow him to pursue other ventures, including commentary work with Fox Sports during the upcoming World Cup and a potential boxing match with Tyson Fury. However, before departing for the United States, Ibrahimovic will collaborate with Cardinale and chief scout Geoffrey Monnet-Chai to shape the future of the club.
Potential candidates for the sporting director position include Txiki Beguiristain, formerly of Barcelona and Manchester City, and Ramon Planes, currently at Al Ittihad. Viktor Bezhani, the current sporting director of Toulouse, is also under consideration, as is Fabio Paratici, currently linked with Fiorentina. The appointment of a new sporting director is seen as vital to building a competitive team for the future.
