Sweden boss weighs up Zlatan return
Zlatan Ibrahimovic must prove he wants to play for Sweden again before head coach Janne Andersson considers recalling the in-form Milan striker.
The 39-year-old recently hinted he is ready to end his international retirement by posting an image of himself in a Sweden top on social media, captioned: "Long time no see".
However, Andersson was quick to rule out a return earlier this month after leaving Ibrahimovic out of his latest squad and stating that "the matter is closed".
With Ibrahimovic lighting up Serie A once again this term, though, Andersson appears to have paved the way for a sensational return ahead of next year's rearranged Euro 2020.
"First, it is necessary that he himself wants to be involved in the national team project," Andersson told Aftonbladet. "In 2016 he told me clearly he no longer wants to be part of it.
"I respected his choice then and over the years since. He has to be the one who says he wants to come back. If that is the case, it will then be up to me to decide."
Ibrahimovic is Sweden's all-time leading scorer with 62 goals in 116 matches but has not played for the Nordic nation since a 1-0 defeat to Belgium at Euro 2016.
And Andersson questioned whether the former Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United star is serious about reversing his international hiatus.
"We haven't seen each other for a while," Andersson said. "I don't follow him on social media, but in any case I don't care what he says on there or how he says it.
"I know what he told me and what we agreed when he left the national team. Since then, nothing has changed from my perspective."
After two years in MLS with Los Angeles Galaxy, Ibrahimovic returned to European football with Milan in January on an initial six-month deal that has been extended until the end of 2020-21.
He has been in phenomenal form in his second spell with the Italian giants, scoring 20 times in 24 Serie A outings this calendar year - only Ciro Immobile (23 in 27) and Cristiano Ronaldo (29 in 24) have managed more.
The evergreen striker scored twice in Milan's 3-1 win over Napoli on Sunday before limping off with a hamstring injury, becoming the oldest player to net at least 10 goals in the first eight Serie A matchdays.
His brace also saw him match Gunnar Nordahl for the second-most Serie A goals from the first eight games played of a season, only adrift of Marco Van Basten (12 in 1992-93).
"I can't say I'm so surprised," Andersson said. "If I were, it would mean I didn't believe in his potential. I'm very impressed Zlatan can continue to have this hunger and drive.
"He is really impressive, a great athlete, and by far Sweden's greatest player of all time. It is amazing what he is accomplishing, so hat off and congratulations to him."
