Zlatan Ibrahimovic wants payback against new Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, according to the player’s agent Mino Raiola.
Ibrahimovic played under Guardiola at Barcelona between 2009 and 2011, but their relationship deteriorated over that time as the Spaniard began to make Lionel Messi the focal point of the side’s attack ahead of the Swede.
And the 34-year-old, who had previously been with Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan, still holds respect for the new City manager – but is out to get revenge against him.
Raiola told Marca: “I think he wants revenge on Guardiola, although he does not live for it because you shouldn’t have two graves – one for him and one for the enemy.
“It seems destiny wants to see that meeting take place. One option is to go to the Premier League but for as long as Sweden continue in the Euros there will be no solution.
“You learn more from defeats than you do from victories and Zlatan learned a lot from what happened with Guardiola.
“As a person, I don’t like him either. Zlatan admits he is a great coach and I can think it, but I refuse to admit it.”
While Ibrahimovic has struggled to make an impact on Sweden’s results at Euro 2016, Raiola has continued to fuel talk of a move to United, calling them a “great team” and stating that he has made his decision, but is waiting for the striker to make up his own mind.
Sweden will play their final group match against Belgium on Wednesday night, with the side currently third in Group E on just one point, meaning they could be set for an early exit.
Anything but a win would likely mean they would be knocked out as their current points tally would probably not be enough to see them through as one of the four best third-placed teams.
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