'I'm not a babysitter' - Zlatan Ibrahimovic fires strong warning to Christian Pulisic & Co as he explains new AC Milan role

After finishing his playing career with the Italian side, Ibrahimovic has been taken on as an advisor and operating partner to the company that owns the club. He was part of an advising group that convinced the club's majority shareholder to hire Paulo Fonseca as head coach this summer after Stefano Pioli departed.

Many members of the current squad were team-mates with Ibrahimovic before he hung up his boots and he has warned the likes of Rafael Leao and USMNT star Christian Pulisic that he is not at San Siro to take care of them.

He told The Athletic: "I’m not a babysitter. My players, they’re adults and they have to take responsibility. They have to do 200 per cent even when I’m not there."

Ibrahimovic says he has no intention of taking on a coaching role, adding: "You see my grey hair? Fully grey hair is after one week as a coach. A coach’s life is up to 12 hours per day. You absolutely don’t have free time. My role is connect everything; to be a leader from above and make sure the structure and organisation works. To keep everybody on their toes."

After finishing a distant second to Inter in Serie A last season, Ibrahimovic will hope Milan put together a genuine race for the Scudetto in the coming season. Their league campaign kicks off with a game against Torino on August 17.