"He arrives at a very ambitious club" - Zlatan Ibrahimovic says PSG should 'take advantage' of Lionel Messi's presence at the club
Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has said that the Parisians should take advantage of having Lionel Messi in their ranks.
The Argentinean joined the Parisians from La Liga giants Barcelona on a free transfer last summer. The 34-year-old became a hot topic of discussion in the football world when he swapped the Blaugrana for Mauricio Pochettino's side.
After putting an end to a successful 17-year stint with Barcelona, Messi is now expected to replicate the same exploits with PSG. According to Ibrahimovic, the association between the Argentinean and the Ligue 1 giants could prove to be fruitful.
The Sweden international said that Messi has joined the Parisians at a time when they are ambitious and progressing as a club. Ibrahimovic also stressed the need for Mauricio Pochettino and co. to cherish the 34-year-old's presence. He told French television programme Telefoot in this regard:
"He (Lionel Messi) has arrived at a very ambitious club, which wants to win, and which is in a form of progression. PSG are very proud to have him, and must take advantage of it!"
"Il arrive dans un club très ambitieux, qui veut gagner, et qui est dans une forme de progression. Le PSG est très fier de l'avoir et doit en profiter !"
Zlatan sent qu'entre Messi et Paris, le mariage peut être réussi !
(🎙️ @BastienAL) https://t.co/aNEEWbBUja
The forward has a contract with the Parisians till the end of the 2022-23 season. There is also an option to extend the deal by another year, which would see Messi stay at the club till he's 37.
Lionel Messi back in training with the rest of the PSG team. https://t.co/l4KQCfVkVJ
The former Barcelona superstar has struggled to find momentum in Paris, with injuries marring his progress. He has been restricted to just 16 appearances across competitions so far. Messi has scored six goals and provided five assists in these games, with only one of these strikes coming in the league.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's PSG and Lionel Messi connection
Zlatan Ibrahimovic currently plies his trade with Serie A giants AC Milan. However, the 40-year-old has a significant connection with both PSG and Messi.
The Sweden international was on the Parisians' books for four years. between 2012 and 2016. He played 180 games across competitions during his time with the Ligue 1 giants, finding the back of the net 156 times, and providing 61 assists.
Ibrahimovic also shared the dressing room with Messi during his time at Barcelona, where he played 46 games. He played a total of 42 games with the Argentinean forward, with the duo combining to score ten goals.
The striker is now keen to see his former teammate excel with his former employers.