Zlatan Ibrahimovic confirms his departure from LA Galaxy after two MLS seasons

What's the story?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has confirmed his departure from LA Galaxy in trademark bravado as he thanked his fans in a social media post on Thursday.

In case you didn't know...

Ibrahimovic, whose contract with LA Galaxy is set to expire at the end of the year, netted 52 goals and provided 17 assists in 53 starts for the club and became one of the most talked-about players in the division.

The Sweden international made a memorable debut for the Los Angeles outfit as he scored twice against LAFC. He was named the 2018 MLS Newcomer of the Year by the end of the season and was named in the MLS All-Star as well as the MLS Best XI.

The 38-year-old was appointed captain of the team at the start of this year and netted 31 goals for the side. However, his efforts did little to help the club as Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s men were beaten 5-3 by LAFC in the semi-finals of the MLS Cup playoffs.

The heart of the matter

Ibrahimovic has now called time on his stint at LA Galaxy as the club announced that they have mutually parted ways in a statement released on Wednesday.

A statement from LA Galaxy’s president Chris Klein reads,

"We would like to thank Zlatan for his contributions to the LA Galaxy and Major League Soccer. Since his arrival in 2018, Zlatan has positively influenced the sport of soccer in Los Angeles. We are grateful for his work ethic and passion. We thank Zlatan for his professionalism and immeasurable impact on the Los Angeles community and the soccer community in North America as a whole."

Ibrahimovic himself tweeted a message thanking the club and his fans saying,

"I came, I saw, I conquered. Thank you LA Galaxy for making me feel alive again. To the Galaxy fans - you wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan. You are welcome. The story continues...Now go back to watch baseball."

I came, I saw, I conquered. Thank you @lagalaxy for making me feel alive again. To the Galaxy fans - you wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan. You are welcome. The story continues...Now go back to watch baseball pic.twitter.com/kkL6B6dJBr

— Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) November 13, 2019

What's next?

Ibrahimovic, who has played for European giants such as Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, and Ajax, is yet to announce his next destination but has been heavily been linked with a move to Serie A in recent weeks.