Could 2015/16 Be Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Last Season at His Peak?
Sold across Europe for upwards of £135 million between seven clubs, after leaving his hometown club Malmo FF in 2001, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has garnered the reputation as a nomadic, world-class centre-forward.
Winning 16 major club honours and countless individual accolades, the 33-year-old has enjoyed a largely successful club career. The only glaring absence from Ibrahimovic's medal horde is the UEFA Champions League.
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His current side, Paris Saint-German, are more than capable of winning the competition with some luck in 2015/16. All of Zlatan's sizable European experience will be required for the three-time defending French champions to prevail in the Champions League.
Ibrahimovic turns 34 in October, thus one would not be delusional considering Sweden's greatest-ever footballer has entered the final year of his usefulness at the top level.
Entering the last year of his contract, there is no guarantee the mammoth "No. 9" will play in the French capital next season. Negotiations were required in Doha, Qatar, this summer—as discussed by Ligue 1 expert Jonathan Johnson—to comfort the Swede on his PSG future.
Adding another campaign on his legs, there is every possibility the French outfit will allow their talismanic striker to seek employment elsewhere: That could be a blessing for Ibrahimovic.
Recently closed, the 2015 summer transfer window showed there is a market for Zlatan. Arsenal and AC Milan, as exemplified by ESPN FC, were linked with the centre-forward. The Italians have several strikers who need game time, primarily the likes of Carlos Bacca and Luis Adriano, but the north London side are in dire need of a world-class focal point.
One might think a 34-year-old would scare off a club of Arsenal's stature, but they signed Petr Cech at 33 years old for £10 million, so what risk would there be to signing a 34-year-old superstar on a free transfer next summer? Answer: Little to none.
All is dependent, though, on Ibra's 2015/16.
Anther 30-goal season, with a fourth-consecutive French crown and a deep Champions League run, makes him an attractive, marquee name for any top European side—but those conditions could be a bridge too far.
Starting this season with a knee ligament injury, as noted by Reuters in the Guardian, and missing the first three matches of the 2015/16 Ligue 1 season, Zlatan finding his rhythm sooner rather than later is vital. It will prove crucial for his standing in Laurent Blanc's squad, PSG's season and his own reputation for next summer—especially if the Swedish captain is looking for another employer.
The old adage suggests: "Father Time is undefeated."
Ibrahimovic, despite his larger-than-life personality will inevitably reach the end of his career.
Thirty years old is thought to be the beginning of the end for most footballers, but in a medically and technologically advanced era, we may have to push that marker forward. If around 34 is the "new 30" for footballers, this is the season where Zlatan will either conform to common logic or defy it.
In answering our title question: It is more than possible Ibrahimovic starts to decline this season, but a player of his skill, stature and clout will have opportunities in the top leagues until every drop of petrol has been used from his tank.
That date seems at least two seasons away.
For Paris Saint-Germain, they must decide (at season's end) whether risking Ibra's car flashing an "empty" light is worth the titanic wages they are paying him.
*Stats are via WhoScored.com; transfer fees are via Soccerbase where not noted.
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