Get Guardian on Google
Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes that in signing Neymar, his former club Paris Saint-Germain have acquired the only player capable of taking them to the “next level”.
PSG smashed the world transfer record by paying Barcelona 222 million euros ($263.5 million) for Neymar, who has produced three goals and three assists in his first two appearances.
Ibrahimovic won four consecutive Ligue 1 titles with PSG, but never went beyond the Champions League quarter-finals and he suggested Neymar could be the man to change their fortunes in Europe.
[ad]
“It’s difficult to not follow the news when a transfer like that happens,” said Ibrahimovic, who rejoined Manchester United on a one-year contract earlier this week.
“I follow my old teams and I’m happy for PSG that they made a transfer like that. Because he’s the only player you bring that could bring them to the next level. That’s what they did.”
Asked if he had any advice for Neymar, who has inherited his old number 10 shirt, Ibrahimovic told ESPN UK: “He doesn’t need advice. To go out and show his magic.
“And the rest will follow because he came to a fantastic team and he just needs to keep playing and make the fans enjoy (themselves).”
