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Ibrahimovic says may ‘conquer’ US

By AFP
22 November 2016   |   2:34 pm
Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic said Tuesday he was eyeing the possibility of a move to the the United States.
Manchester United's Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic (C) celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Europa League group A football match between Manchester United and Zorya Luhansk at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on September 29, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS

Manchester United’s Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic (C) celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Europa League group A football match between Manchester United and Zorya Luhansk at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on September 29, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS

Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic said Tuesday he was eyeing the possibility of a move to the the United States.

“I can see myself conquering the US, just as I have (conquered) Europe,” the 35-year-old Swede told daily newspaper Aftonbladet in an interview.

“People stay in one place throughout their entire career, but I have travelled around like Napoleon in Europe and conquered every country I’ve arrived in,” Ibrahimovic said.

“So maybe I could cross the Atlantic and conquer the US as well,” he said after winning the Swedish Golden Ball award for the 11th time on Monday.

In honour of the country’s most prolific goal-scorer, the Swedish football association announced that a statue of Ibrahimovic would be erected at the Friends arena in Stockholm within one year.

Acknowledging that United is not in as strong a position as his former team Paris Saint-Germain, Ibrahimovic said he’s trying to deliver the same results.

“I had it good at PSG; it’s no secret. We had a strong and good team that got better and better every year,” he said.

“But that’s passed now… This is a new chapter now and I’m trying to create the same feeling here,” Ibrahimovic said, referring to United.

Noting that United coach Jose Mourinho was one of the reasons he decided to join the Premier League team, Ibrahimovic said: “I checked the team (United) a little bit before I came and it wasn’t like the team I came from.”

“This is something I was prepared for… the team is not the same as (PSG),” the superstar said.

“But after speaking with Mourinho, it wasn’t a difficult decision. If he calls then I have no problems showing up,” Ibrahimovic added.

After a dismal showing at Euro-2016, Sweden’s all-time high scorer in June put an end to his 116-cap international career, in which he scored 62 goals.

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