Zlatan Ibrahimovic is back in the AC Milan fold. The Swedish star had been absent for several months following his dispute with coach Massimiliano Allegri, but he joined the team's delegation ahead of the eagerly awaited clash with Benfica at the start of the Rossoneri's Europa League campaign.
Milan are wrapping up their preparations for that opener against Benfica. They go into it with spirits lifted after snatching a hard-fought draw against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico, a result the coaching staff and players rated as good as a win given the circumstances.
A familiar face turned up at Milan's training sessions, with Ibrahimovic spotted close to the squad. It was a fresh sign that his relationship with the Rossoneri is back on its natural course.
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Since announcing his retirement from football at the end of the 2022-2023 season, Ibrahimovic has kept his connection with Milan, but from a different position. He worked as an advisor to the club's management and to owners RedBird, part of his administrative and advisory role within the club.
Things took a turn during the past period. Last March, according to Italian reports, a dispute broke out between Ibrahimovic and Allegri, prompting the Swede to withdraw and vanish from the team's surroundings for several months.
Milan were going through a torrid patch at the time. The Allegri era then ended and several members of the sporting management departed, following a disappointing season in which the team slid from Serie A title contenders to failing to secure even a Champions League qualifying spot.
With Allegri and a number of officials gone, Ibrahimovic's future at the club became uncertain, especially after such a long spell away from the team.
During the World Cup, Ibrahimovic surfaced in a different role, working as an analyst for the "Fox Sports" channel. That reinforced the impression among a section of Milan's fans that his relationship with the club might be over.
His absence was not limited to matches or training sessions. He did not even attend the ceremony honouring Milan legend Franco Baresi, a snub that seemed to confirm his distance from the club at the time, according to Spanish newspaper "Marca".
A summer of reshuffling many files within Milan seems to have changed all that. Ibrahimovic has begun to reassert his presence at the club, with a clear desire to stay close to the team and follow its every detail day to day.
His comeback dovetails with a new phase at Milan. Zlatan wants to reclaim his role close to the squad, having stayed away for so long amid the earlier disputes.
The first step was joining the team for that Europa League opener against Benfica. He reappeared in the Rossoneri's surroundings, a scene loaded with meaning about the chance to turn the page on the old rows.
After months away, Ibrahimovic looks set to open a new chapter with Milan and return to his role close to the team. Exactly what his mission entails and how visible he becomes at the club should emerge over the coming period.