‘Who says I'm not already one?’ - Typical Zlatan Ibrahimovic response to billionaire question & new role at AC Milan

The enigmatic Swede made plenty of money in his playing days, with spells taken in at the likes of Juventus, Inter, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and the LA Galaxy. He was forced to retire in June 2023, at the age of 41, as injuries eventually caught up with him.

Ibrahimovic now fills an advisory role at San Siro, as he assists the RedBird Capital ownership group and their founder Gerry Cardinale, while he also owns a stake in Swedish outfit Hammarby. There have been suggestions that Zlatan stands to benefit considerably from his new position in Milan.

Quizzed at the Financial Times Business of Football summit as to whether he agreed to work alongside Cardinale due to talk of becoming a billionaire, Ibrahimovic said: "Who says I'm not already one? First of all, I had finished my career three months before I met Gerry. After 20 years, I felt free, and then Gerry made me an offer I couldn't refuse. It opens doors for me. I couldn't say no. When I quit, I said I wanted to start from scratch. Then, this opportunity came. I feel like I have a lot to give. When you work with the best, you become the best. I used to play with these guys. They were my teammates eight months ago. There is a tremendous amount of respect between us and my current role. You have to make certain decisions, not be too kind and think from other perspectives. Think about the club and the future. I am still part of the Swedish club Hammarby, just like before. We are working to improve and take steps with Hammarby. This changes nothing.”

Cardinale has likened Ibrahimovic to LeBron James and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson when it comes to superstar appeal and business acumen, saying: “I see the same thing in Zlatan. They have the ability to step over into my world.” Milan remain a work in progress on the field in 2023-24, with USMNT star Christian Pulisic among those hoping to help Stefano Pioli’s side to a top-four finish in Serie A and Europa League glory.