Zlatan Ibrahimovic Should Stay at PSG for the Long Term

Love him or hate him, everybody has an opinion on Paris Saint-Germain and Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Whether he is scoring wonder goals like the one in the video below, failing miserably at similar attempts or being one of the most outspoken athletes of the modern era, he is always in the spotlight.

Ibrahimovic is also one of the game’s most talented strikers, but in football, where there is talent, there are transfer rumors.

Recent rumors have linked Ibrahimovic with Premier League sides Manchester United, per David Lynch of the Manchester Evening News, and Chelsea, per Rohan Banerjee of the Daily Mail, among other sides outside of England. But leaving Paris would be a mistake for the talismanic striker.

Since joining PSG, Ibrahimovic has been a destructive force in Ligue 1, leading the league in goals each of the last two seasons including a 30-goal domestic campaign in 2012-13 and is second behind youngster Alexandre Lacazette this season.

But even though Ibrahimovic would argue otherwise, there is only so much a person can do to stave off the physical degeneration that comes with aging. The striker is 33 years old and has already started to show signs of aging this season with 17 goals, down from 25 at this point each of the last two seasons.

If he does head to a new club, he will likely come in as a lead striker and be expected to produce at a similar level, which it will be more difficult to do as time goes on. If he heads to England, which is known for its hard-nosed defense, it could be even harder for him to live up to high expectations.

The biggest issue facing Ibrahimovic with a potential transfer away isn’t his inevitable physical decline, though. It is his personality that would make it a challenge.

Coming into Paris, Ibrahimovic was the biggest name brought in during the revamp of PSG, which turned it into one of the world’s premier clubs. Even with big stars like Thiago Silva and Ezequiel Lavezzi joining up as well, the Swedish striker was the most talked about player all year.

At a new club, where there is a more established team and a way of doing things in the locker room, it would be hard for Ibrahimovic to get away with his antics or maintain the level of influence he possesses at PSG.

His agent, Mino Raiola, said Ibrahimovic's importance at PSG cannot be understated and his future should be in Paris.

"Theoretically, Ibrahimovic could be sold this summer—but PSG would have to actually want that," Raiola said, according to L'Equipe (h/t Aaron Flanagan of the Mirror). "Today he is still the most important player in PSG's project. Where's his potential replacement? Where's the new Zlatan? It's impossible to find someone like him today and PSG know that."

He is still one of the most entertaining players in the world and likely isn’t going to leave until the end of his contract in 2016, but once that runs out, he should consider re-signing with Los Rouge-et-Bleu.

With the Paris-based club in the quarterfinals of this season’s Champions League and a crop of young players starting to grow into stars, the best place for Ibrahimovic’s future is in Paris. PSG should stay relevant in European competition for a few more years, and that gives him the best chance to play regularly and win.