Ibrahimovic recovering ´slower than expected´, his future ´a question for Zlatan´ – Pioli

Stefano Pioli believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic has the desire to help Milan beyond the end of this season, although his future still is not settled and the forward’s immediate focus is on aiding the Rossoneri’s 2021-22 title bid.

Ibrahimovic signed a one-year contract extension in April last year, meaning his Milan deal is again up in June.

And the superstar forward, who is now 40, is increasingly struggling for fitness, even if his goalscoring form has not deserted him.

Ibrahimovic has eight goals in all competitions this season, with no Milan player scoring at a greater rate than his average of one every 133 minutes.

However, Ibrahimovic has been limited to 12 starts and has not featured in over a month since injuring his Achilles tendon against Juventus.

Milan coach Pioli was asked for an update on both the striker’s future and fitness before Friday’s match against Udinese and offered a mixed response, with his recovery not as rapid as anticipated.

“[His future] would be a question for Zlatan,” the league-leading coach told a news conference. “His will is very important.

You sleep. I work pic.twitter.com/JYu20wQ8jq

— Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) February 20, 2022

“As I know him, for the determination he has, for the ambition he has and for the desire he has to help the team, I am convinced that he would want to continue playing.

“His condition is improving, albeit a little slower than we expected, but he is better.

“His path is day by day – you have to understand how the tendon responds when he starts to run. Between today and tomorrow he will return to running on the grass; in these days he has done individual work and ran on the sand.”