Claudio Marchisio: Milan Should Have Used Youth, Not Signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Former Juventus and Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio has cast doubt over AC Milan's decision to re-sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic, saying he would have instead "tried to promote some youth players." 

Ibrahimovic, 38, represented the Rossoneri between 2010 and 2012, scoring 56 goals in 85 appearances for the club before he departed for Paris Saint-Germain.

Marchisio—who spent the 2005-06 campaign as a team-mate of Ibrahimovic with Juve—told Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia): "I hope he'll shake them up. The Rossoneri must return to the levels they deserve to be at. In a season with all these problems, however, I would've tried to promote some youth players."

Milan's academy was once considered a gem in Italian football, but the pathway from the youth team to the Rossoneri's first-team squad has been clouded by a heavier focus on transfers in recent times.

Ibrahimovic came off the bench to make his second Milan debut against Sampdoria on Monday when he played the final 35 minutes in a 0-0 stalemate:

The San Siro welcomed the superstar back with a rousing reception when he came on in place of Krzysztof Piatek:

Former Genoa ace Piatek, 24, could suffer most from Ibrahimovic's return, with the club having seemingly lost some faith in the Pole following a return of four goals in 18 league games this term.

Milan hope Ibrahimovic can rejuvenate a team that finished fifth in Serie A last season—their highest finish since 2013—after he spent 18 months with Los Angeles Galaxy.

ESPN reported in December that Ibrahimovic—who earned $7.2 million (£5.5 million) during the 2019 Major League Soccer season—was told to lower his salary demands before rejoining Milan.

The superstar's presence may naturally encourage more positivity at the San Siro:

Rafael Leao, 20, will likely find it more difficult to get minutes under Stefano Pioli following Ibrahimovic's arrival, while 26-year-old Ante Rebic could be demoted further. The Croat has made just one league start since he joined the club from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer on a two-year loan deal.

Marchisio spent 13 years with Juventus and saw a long line of youth talents emerge in Turin during his time at the club. He left for Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg in 2018 but retired a little more than one year later following injury difficulties.

Milan have invested in the tried-and-tested approach by signing Ibrahimovic for a second time in his career, and he'll look to resume his Italian goal count when the Rossoneri visit Cagliari on Saturday.