A familiar name has returned to the halls of the Johan Cruijff ArenA. Ajax has officially confirmed the signing of 19-year-old Swedish forward Maximilian Ibrahimović on a six-month loan from AC Milan, with an option to make the transfer permanent.
The move brings the son of legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimović to the club where his father first rose to European prominence over two decades ago.
Ajax’s Director of Football, Marijn Beuker, expressed his enthusiasm for the acquisition. “We are very pleased with the arrival of Maximilian,” Beuker stated. “He is a talented forward with a good sense of positioning in and around the penalty area, and he has strong goal-oriented finishing. He is skilful with his dribbling and, above all, has a great winner’s mentality and training attitude”.
The club plans for the teenager to initially gain playing time with the Ajax U23 squad while regularly training with the first team to acclimate to the higher level. Beuker added, “Maximilian is a player with a lot of potential, and we hope that in time he can become a permanent part of Ajax 1’s attack”.
For the young Ibrahimović, the weight of his famous surname is both history and a narrative he is determined to shape on his own terms. “I am my own person and player, and I want to write my own story,” Maximilian declared during his introduction, expressing clear ambition to carve out his own identity.
While acknowledging the unique connection, he noted, “Nice that my father also played for Ajax. I am happy that I get the opportunity to continue developing myself here”. He emphasized his distinct path, saying, “Ibrahimović is just a name. I am Maximilian. We are both very different”.
The talented forward joins Ajax after a stint with Milan Futuro, AC Milan’s second team competing in Serie D, where he recorded five goals and four assists this season. He had also earned a call-up to Milan’s senior squad in December. His playing style seems a natural fit for the Dutch giants. “I love the Ajax philosophy, the attacking way of playing. I think that suits me very well,” Maximilian said. “I am very fast, and I like to dribble. And I love attacking”.
The financial details of the arrangement include a reported option-to-buy clause set at approximately €3.5 million, with AC Milan retaining a sell-on clause for any future transfer. As the young Swedd begins this new chapter, he carries with him the advice of his father, who is now a senior advisor at AC Milan.
“He said Ajax is a great club and Amsterdam is a great city. The fans are nice, and the league is good. Only good things,” Maximilian shared. With a famous legacy behind him and his own career ahead, Maximilian Ibrahimović’s journey in Amsterdam has formally begun.