SWEDISH SUPERSTAR Zlatan Ibrahimovic greeted fans of his new club Paris Saint-Germain in an ostentatious presentation ceremony in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris today.
Having completed his €20million move to the ambitious French side from AC Milan earlier in the day, the 30-year-old striker made a brief appearance at the Place du Trocadero to the west of the city centre.
In front of several hundred fans, onlookers and journalists, the Sweden captain posed with a PSG jersey before kicking a ball high into the crowd, as Paris’ iconic Eiffel Tower shimmered in the sunshine behind him. He was then ushered to a waiting car by security personnel wearing black suits and sunglasses, as supporters chanted ‘Ibra! Ibra!’ and ‘Merci Zlatan!’
Advertisement
Earlier, he had appeared in front of the media at PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium, after signing a three-year contract that will reportedly earn him €14m a year.
“I want to thank Paris Saint-Germain and (sporting director) Leonardo for the great work they’ve done,” Ibrahimovic told reporters. ”I think they’ve made something that looked impossible, possible. I’m very happy to be sitting here. After lots of talks, I’m finally a PSG player. It’s a big step in my career, another dream come true.
“I think this is a very interesting project and I had no doubts. In my mind I was very clear and I knew what I wanted. I want to be part of this club’s history and I’m pretty sure we will make history. I came here to win, not for anything else and I’m pretty sure we’ll win some trophies.”
Ibrahimovic follows in the footsteps of former Milan colleague Thiago Silva, who completed a €42m move to Paris last week that made the Brazil centre-back the most expensive player in French football history. The departures of Thiago Silva and Ibrahimovic have robbed Milan of their two brightest stars but Ibrahimovic said he had not been encouraged to leave the cash-strapped San Siro club with whom he won the 2011 Italian title.
“No-one at Milan influenced me,” he said. “It was my choice and my choice alone.”
He added: “I was very happy to be at Milan. They gave me my smile back (after a disappointing season at Barcelona in 2009-10).
“It’s a club that will stay in my heart. They helped me and my family and I don’t want to put a shadow over my time there. They made it easy for me to come to PSG so I thank them and I wish them all the best.”
I'm here! Ibrahimovic hits Paris with Eiffel Tower parade
SWEDISH SUPERSTAR Zlatan Ibrahimovic greeted fans of his new club Paris Saint-Germain in an ostentatious presentation ceremony in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris today.
Having completed his €20million move to the ambitious French side from AC Milan earlier in the day, the 30-year-old striker made a brief appearance at the Place du Trocadero to the west of the city centre.
In front of several hundred fans, onlookers and journalists, the Sweden captain posed with a PSG jersey before kicking a ball high into the crowd, as Paris’ iconic Eiffel Tower shimmered in the sunshine behind him. He was then ushered to a waiting car by security personnel wearing black suits and sunglasses, as supporters chanted ‘Ibra! Ibra!’ and ‘Merci Zlatan!’
Earlier, he had appeared in front of the media at PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium, after signing a three-year contract that will reportedly earn him €14m a year.
“I want to thank Paris Saint-Germain and (sporting director) Leonardo for the great work they’ve done,” Ibrahimovic told reporters. ”I think they’ve made something that looked impossible, possible. I’m very happy to be sitting here. After lots of talks, I’m finally a PSG player. It’s a big step in my career, another dream come true.
“I think this is a very interesting project and I had no doubts. In my mind I was very clear and I knew what I wanted. I want to be part of this club’s history and I’m pretty sure we will make history. I came here to win, not for anything else and I’m pretty sure we’ll win some trophies.”
Ibrahimovic follows in the footsteps of former Milan colleague Thiago Silva, who completed a €42m move to Paris last week that made the Brazil centre-back the most expensive player in French football history. The departures of Thiago Silva and Ibrahimovic have robbed Milan of their two brightest stars but Ibrahimovic said he had not been encouraged to leave the cash-strapped San Siro club with whom he won the 2011 Italian title.
“No-one at Milan influenced me,” he said. “It was my choice and my choice alone.”
He added: “I was very happy to be at Milan. They gave me my smile back (after a disappointing season at Barcelona in 2009-10).
“It’s a club that will stay in my heart. They helped me and my family and I don’t want to put a shadow over my time there. They made it easy for me to come to PSG so I thank them and I wish them all the best.”
- © AFP, 2012
Dempsey ‘deal’ leaves Liverpool red faced
London 2012: Half a million unsold football tickets to be taken off the market
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
french kiss Ligue Un Paris St. Germain PSG Zlatan Ibrahimovic