Why Zlatan Ibrahimovic Deserves a New Contract at Paris Saint-Germain

Going into the current campaign, it was believed that it would be Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s last season playing for Paris Saint-Germain. However, the Swedish forward’s current form has shown that there is still life in the old dog yet and that he deserves another year in the French capital.

On Saturday afternoon, Ibrahimovic scored PSG’s second as they beat Caen 3-0 to end the year unbeaten.

They also broke the points record for this stage of the campaign, reaching 51 by the winter break, with Ibrahimovic deserving a lot of credit for that achievement. 

That goal took his tally for the season up to 15—scoring 14 goals in his last 11 Ligue 1 games. A return that was unthinkable just 18 months ago.

Despite his undoubted ability, age looked to be catching up with the former AC Milan forward last season. A nagging problem with his heel saw him miss a number of games, and even in the fixtures he played, he looked off the pace. Doubts began to cloud his future.

Over the past month, his performances have banished any of those thoughts, and he looks to be every part the talismanic player that PSG and Laurent Blanc would hope for. Even at 34 years old, you can see his fitness is back to 100 per cent and the confidence he has in his body.

Acrobatic attempts against Saint-Etienne and Caen this week highlight that he is still capable of the impossible. Something that looked beyond him last term.

Never short of a quote or two, his agent Mino Raiola made an appearance on French radio station RMC last week, via ESPN FC, and he didn't mix his words:

"

The French league without Zlatan is nothing. PSG gave French football a gift with Zlatan.

The French have to get used to players of a high level. With Zlatan, they've learned after three years. PSG without Zlatan is like Formula One without Ferrari. It's like champagne without bubbles.

"

At the start of the month, via Elliot Bretland of the Daily Mail, Blanc revealed it would be up to the player himself if he wanted to continue to play beyond this season. His recent form has shown that he is more than capable of excelling in the league—helped by the quality of his supporting cast.

Once again, Ibrahimovic is PSG’s top goalscorer, but it’s the signing of Angel Di Maria that has helped the striker improve in this campaign.

Last season, if Edinson Cavani wasn’t performing, the pressure fell on the Swede; with the Argentinian midfielder joining the attack, the burden is now shared.

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

At this point in Ibrahimovic’s career, PSG are the perfect fit. There is no fierce competition in Ligue 1, so he doesn’t need to perform intensely for 90 minutes, it just takes a flash or two when he gets on the ball to make a difference.

This gives the player and Blanc the opportunity to make sure he is well rested and ready to play a larger role in the upcoming UEFA Champions League knockout stage.

Any new contract would be based on the Swede’s ability to perform to the level he has in the league when it comes to the European challenges ahead.

PSG are good enough to beat the other 19 Ligue 1 sides without Ibrahimovic—the Champions League remains the one competition he has yet to win, and where he hasn't quite lived up to expectation with the French club.

His superb league form means he deserves a new one-year deal in the French capital, and perhaps the player and the club will wait to see how they both perform against Chelsea in February before deciding in what direction to go next season.