Most footballers like to remain tight-lipped when asked about potential incomings to their clubs.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, however, is not somebody you could categorise under “most footballers”.
The Swede made his debut for Manchester United in a pre-season friendly against Galatasaray on Saturday night, when it took him all of three minutes to register his first goal for the club. It wasn’t a bad one either.
Talk about an instant impact! #ZlatanTime
Switch over now to watch live on #MUTVHD. https://t.co/C8QYQI3308
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 30, 2016
United won the game 5-2 in the end, despite trailing at half-time. Much of the Red Devils’ resurgence was owed to an exciting substitute performance from Marcus Rashford, whose attacking efforts didn’t go unnoticed by Ibrahimovic watching on from the sidelines.
Journalists were naturally queuing up to talk to the new man at Old Trafford after his typically headline-writing bow for the club. It will also surprise nobody to learn that the media wanted his take on the imminent arrival (or so everybody thinks) of Paul Pogba from Juventus.
Here’s the interview clip he gave in his native tongue.
Say whaaaat, the deal is definitely done!! #pogba #mufc @MinoRaiola the parrots are true!! pic.twitter.com/427Bo2DphA
— Michel (@theldabh) July 30, 2016
Most of you reading are probably scratching your heads at what that all meant, though you don’t have to be versed in Swedish to notice how abruptly the exchange of words ended.
Luckily, European sports journalist Jonas Giaevara was on hand to translate.
There is video. And Zlatan definitely said it
— Jonas Adnan Giæver (@CheGiaevara) July 30, 2016
Zlatan: "If Pogba comes as well it'll be more interesting, we'll see, there's something great being built here" pic.twitter.com/Z7C6W9Rkq3
— Jonas Adnan Giæver (@CheGiaevara) July 30, 2016
Reporter then asks what he thinks og Pogba as a player and he responds"he's good" and walks off.
— Jonas Adnan Giæver (@CheGiaevara) July 30, 2016
Apparently it was Zlatan who brought up Pogba, not the reporter. MOTWYW.
— Jonas Adnan Giæver (@CheGiaevara) July 30, 2016
Well there you have it, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s official ruling on Paul Pogba: “he’s good”.
For a lot of United fans watching on, that was essentially confirmation of the deal.
https://twitter.com/sa_budu/status/759475845715095552
https://twitter.com/mufcagency/status/759474694680678400
Confirms his own move via Twitter & confirms Pogba's on Swedish TV…
Well, it's his shirt sales that are paying for it!#ZlatanTime#MUFC
😎— Jimmy N.T. (@nadeemjimmy) July 30, 2016
https://twitter.com/TheBrand1886/status/759484808762384384
https://twitter.com/ucheguccigoo/status/759477016353701888
Just a matter of time?
