Antonio Conte says he wanted Zlatan Ibrahimovic signed at Chelsea

Zlatan Ibrahimovic last week signed for AC Milan as a free agent, and he’s of course been a big story in the Italian sport media since then.

Milan need all the help they can get, as has seemed the case for quite some time now, and there’s a great hope the Swedish striker can work some of his magic and drag the Rossoneri up the Serie A table.

Today is press conference time in Italy, and Inter’s Antonio Conte has been asked about Ibrahimovic’s arrival. The manager then revealed he wanted the player signed whilst he was at Chelsea, but ultimately failed to persuade him over the move.

Quoted by TMW, Conte said: “Ibrahimovic knows that there was a moment when I tried to convince him to come to Chelsea, but he was in a recovery phase and he didn’t want to accept it. I think he can give Milan a lot and bring personality by making the environment more responsible. It is important for a coach to find players in teams who can convey your word.”

Conte was at Chelsea from April 2016 to July 2018. Ibrahimovic moved to Manchester United in July 2016 and left Old Trafford in March 2018.

It’s possible Conte is referring to summer 2017, when the player was still recovering from a knee injury. He later signed a new Manchester United contract.