Like father, like son: Ibrahimovic's lad makes Ajax switch
Maximilian Ibrahimovic follows in Zlatan's footsteps with a loan move from AC Milan's reserves to Ajax, where his famous dad first made his name in football.
Another Ibrahimovic is set to grace the hallowed turf of the Johan Cruyff Arena as Zlatan’s son Maximilian makes a promising move to the Dutch giants.
Following in famous footsteps
Talk about a chip off the old block! Maximilian Ibrahimovic is taking his talents to the very club where his dad became a household name. The 17-year-old left winger, currently plying his trade with AC Milan’s reserve side in the Italian fourth division, is Amsterdam-bound on a six-month loan deal.
According to Dutch paper De Telegraaf, the arrangement includes an option for Ajax to make the move permanent for around €3.5 million. Should they later sell him on, Milan would retain a percentage of any future transfer fee.
The move timeline
While nothing’s been officially announced yet, the wheels are very much in motion:
- Maximilian lands in Amsterdam on Sunday
- Medical scheduled for Monday
- Contract signing to follow immediately after
The youngster (born September 2006) has a contract with Milan until 2027 but clearly fancies following his old man’s career path. His younger brother Vincent remains in Milan’s youth setup.
What’s the plan?
The initial blueprint for young ‘Max’ is pretty clear:
- Train regularly with Ajax’s first team
- Play competitive matches with their reserve side in the Dutch second division
- Continue his development at the club renowned for nurturing young talent
It’s worth noting the lad’s not just riding on his father’s coattails either. He’s bagged five goals and provided four assists in 16 appearances for Milan’s reserves this season - decent numbers that suggest there’s proper talent there.
For Ajax fans of a certain vintage, seeing another Ibrahimovic in their famous red and white will bring back some right Bobby Dazzlers of memories. The old man spent three seasons at Ajax between 2001 and 2004, scoring 48 goals in 110 appearances before moving to Juventus.
Now we’ll see if the son can live up to the rather enormous shadow cast by one of football’s most iconic personalities.