Zlatan Ibrahimovic discussed the impact of money in modern football when comparing the Premier League to Serie A.
The 41-year-old Swedish forward is currently sidelined with a knee injury but is working to return to full fitness for the new year, having undergone surgery over the summer. Ibrahimovic played an important role in Milan’s Scudetto success last season, being a role model and leader in the dressing room.
Speaking to ESPN, Ibrahimovic compared the Premier League and Serie A, commenting on the effects that greater finances brings.
“Money brings possibilities. Money brings alternatives that not maybe other ones cannot bring and the hype in Premier League is much bigger than Serie A and that’s why the economy is much bigger there.
“But it makes it exciting also because it becomes a challenge for the Italian clubs to beat the other clubs… Still we are pro players and the ball is still a round thing and we are doing the same thing.”
Milan were sold to Gerry Cardinale and the RedBird group earlier this year in a deal worth around €1.2 billion, an impressive figure that’s emblematic of the club’s growth over the last few years. Serie A is starting to attract greater investment from abroad, with an example being Qatari Sheikh Al Thani, who is currently in talks to purchase Sampdoria.
Inter are also looking for a minority partner and are seemingly gearing up for a club sale in the coming years.