Zlatan Ibrahimovic Becomes Part-Owner of Swedish Club Hammarby
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has become a co-owner of Swedish club Hammarby, acquiring a stake in the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), which is also L.A. Galaxy's main investor.
AEG confirmed the move on Twitter:
Ibrahimovic had teased the news on Tuesday, hinting he could join them as a player:
He explained why he decided to become a part of the Hammerby project in a statement on AEG's website:
"Hammarby is a great club, with passionate supporters and a respected history in Stockholm and throughout Sweden. I've always admired Hammarby and its fans, and I'm impressed by the club's performance over the past years both on and off the field. I am excited for the opportunity to continue my relationship with AEG while supporting one of the most interesting and influential clubs in Sweden."
Based in Stockholm, Hammarby are relative minnows of Swedish football, winning the national Allsvenskan competition just once. They have been steadily growing since returning to the top flight in 2015, however, and finished the 2019 season in third place, just one point behind champions Djurgardens IF. Ibrahimovic's former club, Malmo, took second place.
A statue in his honour was erected in his hometown earlier this year:
Sports writer Lee Roden agrees with his assessment that Hammarby have more potential for long-term success:
Per the Mirror's Alex Richards, Hammarby's coach Stefan Billborn told DN he does not believe the veteran will end up playing for the team. Ibrahimovic remains a free agent after a productive two-year stint with L.A. Galaxy, scoring 52 goals in 56 matches.
Per La Reppublica (h/t AS' Jonathan Meaney), he's been linked with the likes of AC Milan, Napoli and Tottenham Hotspur.
