Sunday 3 April 2016 11:38, UK
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has backed Zlatan Ibrahimovic to light up the Premier League should the striker make a move in the summer.
Ibrahimovic took his tally for the season to 30 league goals after scoring a hat-trick for Ligue 1 champions Paris St-Germain as they warmed up for their Champions League clash with City by beating Nice 4-1 at the Parc des Princes on Saturday.
The 34-year-old striker, who is out contract in the summer, equalled his best ever goals tally in a Ligue 1 season and has 38 for the campaign in all competitions.
Ibrahimovic has been heavily linked with a number of big clubs in England with his contract at PSG expiring at the end of the season.
And Pellegrini has no doubts that, even at 34, the giant Swedish forward would be a formidable force in the top flight.
"Players with the quality of Zlatan can play in any league," Pellegrini told the Sunday Mirror. "He did very well in Italy, France and Spain in an important team like Barcelona. He is a top player and I am sure he will be very successful here also."
The former Real Madrid coach recalled the moment Ibrahimovic's wonder strike consigned his side to a hugely decisive El Clasico defeat in November 2009.
Barca went on to clinch the La Liga title by three points and the Chilean was sacked despite his side mustering a then club record 96 points.
"Against Zlatan, when he played for Barcelona and I was at Real Madrid he scored a very beautiful goal," Pellegrini recalled.
"A volley with his left foot into the top corner and we lost 1-0 to Barcelona. We played very well, but he decided the game with a beautiful goal. It was the only time I played against him."
