Former Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has revealed his reasons behind snubbing Manchester City back in 2010.
The LA Galaxy forward, who had 22 goals and seven assists from 27 appearances last season in MLS and has one score from one game this campaign, had the chance to join the Citizens in the summer of 2010, following a tumultuous year at Barcelona.
Having joined Barca from Inter in a €66m deal the year before, signing a five-year deal, the Swedish international had a famous falling out with current City boss Pep Guardiola, which ultimately led to his departure after just one season.
And, speaking to the Mirror about his options at that moment in time, Ibrahimovic revealed: “I had the chance to go to Manchester City when I was at Barcelona but after that moment in Barcelona, I needed to find happiness."
The forward ultimately chose AC Milan and a return to the country he had grown up in following his rise at Ajax. He explained this decision by declaring: “Going back to Italy, I was happy in Italy and I knew I would be happy if I go back. And I didn’t know if I would be happy if I go to City because it’s a different challenge.
“It would have been a new club, which Milan also was. But I knew the city because I had three years at Inter, I knew the country, so I took a little bit of a safe card.”
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For such a brazen individual as Zlatan, such a comfort play seems almost out of character. However, this was not a missed opportunity to play in the Premier League, with the Swede making his long anticipated migration to England in 2016 to play for City's crosstown rivals.
Joining as a 34-year-old, Ibrahimovic ended up scoring 29 goals in his 53 appearances for the Red Devils, leading them to a Europa League and League Cup double in his first season - or a treble, with the Community Shield, as far as Jose Mourinho was concerned.
Source: 90min
