With rumors of Zlatan Ibrahimović making a move to Los Angeles, we take a look at the pros and cons of the potential transfer.
Pros
1) He undoubtedly has the talent
This goes without saying of course, but Zlatan Ibrahimović is really good at this whole soccer thing. Despite his rising age, the Swede still plays in the sport’s top flight. Calling Manchester home, Ibrahimović would have little to no problem adjusting to the quality of play in Major League Soccer.
Having scored 28 goals in all competitions last season, there’s no doubt that the striker would challenge for the golden boot in his debut season for the Galaxy. With the Western Conference side’s attacking options on the roster already, they’re likely to get the most out of the potential signing. Roman Alessandrini, Ola Kamara, the Dos Santos brothers and Zlatan Ibrahimovic would be one of, if not the most lethal offenses in the league.
2) He might not take up a DP slot
According to ESPN, the blockbuster signing of Zlatan Ibrahimović could be done without the use of a Designated Player slot. With the injection of Targeted Allocation Money recently, the Galaxy might be able to buy his contract down, avoiding the use of their three DP’s, something they currently have occupied
Additionally, with the help of sponsors, the 36-year old’s probable large contract would be much more affordable for the Galaxy. Similarly, to David Beckham a decade ago, a portion of Ibrahimović’s salary could be provided via sponsors, taking the load off of LA and keeping him from taking a DP slot.
3) His impact on the league
If Zlatan Ibrahimović made the move to MLS, he would certainly be one of the biggest stars in the league’s 23-year history. The Galaxy have thrived over the years for having big name players like Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard in recent years. This shows especially true when it comes to attendance numbers. The Galaxy saw an almost 3,000 person decrease in attendance between the 2016 and 2017 seasons, going from 25,138 to 22,246.
Not only would the singing of Zlatan Ibrahimović boost the Galaxy’s home attendance, but it would surely draw fans out in other cities. I for sure would be at Yankee Stadium when Zlatan and the Galaxy come to New York, similarly to how players like Andrea Pirlo and Bastian Schweinsteiger draw soccer fans out to see their favorite stars.
It would not surprise me in the slightest if the striker’s jersey was the highest selling in the league for the 2018 season. It took till the nineteenth spot to find the Galaxy in 2017’s count, courtesy of Giovanni Dos Santos. Not only would they fly off the shelves in LA, but it’ll surely tempt the common soccer fan to grab the #10’s jersey.
Cons
1) He might not take MLS very seriously
Something about Ibrahimović’s egotistical persona gives me the feeling that he won’t take the league we all love so much as serious as we’d like. A combination of going up against players making a yearly salary less than his weekly, and living in the beautiful Los Angeles could lead to potential hits on MLS’ reputation.
Seeing this tweet, paired with the stoppage in his final match for PSG for a moment of celebration in which his sons’ joined him on the pitch wearing jerseys with “King” and “Legend” in place of their last name, shows that he enjoys being bigger than the competition he plays in.
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2) His recent injury
Ibrahimovic’s debut campaign in Manchester was cut short when he suffered a season-ending cruciate ligament injury. The Red Devils released the Swede at the season’s conclusion, however, re-signed the attacker in August.
It took until November to make his full return, only to become re-injured following United’s 2-2 draw on Boxing Day. Jose Mourinho revealed that he hopes his striker will return by the end of February, further delaying his regular return to the game. Nothing would be more unfortunate for Galaxy fans than seeing their team sign a big name like Ibrahimović, only to see him sidelined due to injury.