Zlatan Ibrahimovic: I didn't need to go on trial to prove I was good enough for Arsenal

Swedish striker rejected to chance to trial at Arsenal before moving to Ajax

Tom Sheen
Tuesday 07 October 2014 12:04 EDT
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Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich has donated £30,000 to help the Swedish learning difficulties national team compete in the INAS World Championships in Brazil.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich has donated £30,000 to help the Swedish learning difficulties national team compete in the INAS World Championships in Brazil. (Getty Images)

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Paris Saint-Germain Zlatan Ibrahimovic has revealed how he was left unimpressed by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger offering him a trial 13 years ago.

The 33-year-old, then at home-town club Malmo was asked to come to north London to have a trial for the Gunners.

But the striker, now Sweden's record goalscorer and winner of nine league titles with five different clubs, says he was "good enough" for Arsenal without having to prove himself to the French manager.

“Today, [Arsene] Wenger says it was a misunderstanding. But I didn’t like being asked to prove myself,” he told The Guardian.

“I know I’m good enough. I don’t need to show it to you. Either you know who I am or you don’t. I remember being in Wenger’s office and you could tell he was the boss. It was Wenger! But I don’t think I was so close [to signing]. I went to Ajax the next day.”

The striker also admitted he is unlikely to move to the Premier League at this late stage of his career.

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