Zlatan on Arsenal 'snub': 'I don't do auditions'
Published: 5 Mar 12 07:49 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/39486/20120305/
AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has said he snubbed the chance to join Arsenal because Gunners boss Arsene Wenger wanted him to have a trial period.
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But Wenger was keen to check out Ibrahimovic during a trial first and the Swede was unhappy at what he perceived to be a lack of respect for his talents.
Ibrahimovic told The Sun: "Arsene gave me the famous red and white jersey - the number nine shirt with Ibrahimovic on it and I was so pleased I even posed for a picture wearing it.
"It was a fantastic moment for me. Arsenal had a great team then and here was an Arsenal shirt made just for me.
"So then I waited for him to convince me that I should join Arsenal. But he didn't even try.
"He never actually made me a serious offer, it was more, 'I want to see how good you are, what kind of player you are. Have a trial'.
"I couldn't believe it. I was like, 'No way, Zlatan doesn't do auditions'.
"I thought 'You either know me or you don't and if you don't know me you can't really want me'."
Ibrahimovic instead chose to join Dutch club Ajax before spells at Juventus, Inter Milan and Barcelona.
The 30-year-old starred as Milan took a 4-0 lead in their Champions League tie against Arsenal last month and he has another chance to show Wenger what he missed out on when the Italian club travel to the Emirates Stadium for the second leg on Tuesday.
"I definitely made the right choice," he added.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
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Still we'll see how 'great' Zlatan is - if Sweden 'impress' in the European Championships. Swedish players are usually reliable, in terms of the length of time at a club (Mellberg was at Aston Villa, and Ljungberg at Arsenal, for many, many seasons)
Zlatan is the exception to that
Ask the average person if they have heard of Henke Larsson. They of course say yes.... Larsson was the epitome of class and humility. Abramovic would do best to emulate him....in every way.....
2011 - Not even ranked in top 20
2010 - Not even ranked in top 20
2009 - 14th
2008 - 16th
2007 - Not even ranked in top 28
This is a ranking based on football coaches and captains (i.e. his peers), not a group of sycophantic Swedish journalists.
Oh, and for the record - this is a player who has NEVER scored a goal in a world cup final!