AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimović had surgery on his left knee on Wednesday and faces up to eight months on the sidelines — if he decides to continue his playing career.
Ibrahimović missed large portions of Milan’s title-winning campaign with injury. The 40-year-old Swede made 23 appearances in Serie A, although most of them were off the bench.
Milan said the knee operation, which was performed in France, had been scheduled for a while “to definitively resolve the joint’s instability.”
The club added: “The operation was a complete success and the prognosis is estimated between seven and eight months.”
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
Ibrahimović will be 41 by then.
After Milan clinched its first Serie A title since 2011 on Sunday, Ibrahimović said he would only continue playing if he felt well and added that it had been a difficult few months for him.
His contract ends this year.
Sports
Get today's sports news out of Los Angeles. Here's the latest on the Dodgers, Lakers, Angels, Kings, Galaxy, LAFC, USC, UCLA and more LA teams.
Ibrahimovic’s return at the start of 2020 signaled a turnaround for Milan that saw the Rossoneri finish second last season and end their 11-year wait for the league title this season.
He also helped Milan to the last of its Serie A titles in his first spell at the club.
