Zlatan Ibrahimovic flies into Italy on private jet to sign for Milan - and the fans are already celebrating

Swedish striker heads for medical surrounded by excited supporters

Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrives at the Ata Linate private airport in Milan ahead of signing for AC Milan. Reuters

The private plane carrying Zlatan Ibrahimovic runs on the tarmac of Linate airport. Ibrahimovic has signed with AC Milan on a six-month deal, promising to help rescue the struggling Serie A outfit's season. AFP

Ibrahimovic is welcomed by AC Milan's chief football officer Zvonimir Boban. AFP

Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrives in Milan ahead of signing for AC Milan. Reuters

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is seen upon his arrival at Linate airport. AFP

Milan supporters make a selfie with Croatian former player Zvonimir 'Zorro' Boban as they wait for the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. EPA

Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrives at the La Madonnina Clinic in Milan for his medical. Reuters

Zlatan Ibrahimovic leaves Linate airport. The 38-year-old Swedish striker has signed a six-month contract with AC Milan. EPA

Ibrahimovic leaves in a car surrounded by supporters. AFP

Ibrahimovic surrounded by supporters following his arrival at Linate airport. AFP

AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic surrounded by supporters after his arrival. AFP

Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrives at the airport. AFP

New AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic is welcomed by officials. AFP

Zlatan Ibrahimovic manages to create a stir wherever he plays, and it looks like it will be no different on his return to Milan.

The 38-year-old Swedish striker arrived in Italy for his second spell with AC Milan, and the fans couldn't get enough of him.

He arrived by private jet dressed oin black hoodie, jeans and boots, waving to the supporters behind security fences. It took several minutes for his car to leave as chanting supporters blocked the road.

Ibrahimovic will be officially presented as an AC Milan player on Friday, the Italian club have confirmed, after taking his medical on Thursday.

The six-month deal is reported to be worth around €3.5 million (Dh14.5 million) plus bonuses, with the option of a further year, with Zlatan vowing to help rescue their season.

"I'm coming back to a club I hugely respect and to the city of Milan I love," he said before arriving on a private jet.

"I'll fight together with my teammates to change the course of this season. I will do everything to make it happen."

Ibrahimovic knows the game in Italy, having played for three different Italian clubs.

He first joined Juventus in 2004, moving on to Inter Milan after the match-fixing scandal in 2006, then arriving at AC Milan in 2010 on loan before making the move permanent.

In 85 games for AC Milan over two seasons, Ibrahimovic scored 56 goals.

One of the most successful clubs in the world, AC Milan are 11th in the league just seven points above relegation.

The club have come up short in their attacking options with just 16 goals in 17 games.

Ibrahimovic left Los Angeles Galaxy in November after a two-year stay and 52 goals in 56 games, leaving him free to sign with another club.

Milan must hope that showy Swede, never far from the headlines, will bring some punch and a winning mentality to the locker room.

Ibrahimovic had turned out for many of Europe's top teams, such as Amsterdam's Ajax, AC Milan, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, before he signed for Galaxy in 2018.

In his second autobiography entitled "Football is me," published in 2018 he claims to have changed the history of his sport.

"I came, I saw, I conquered. Thank you LA Galaxy for making me feel alive again," he told his American supporters.

During his time at PSG he promised to stay "if they replace the Eiffel Tower with (his) statue".

"I arrived like a king, I'm leaving like a legend," he said after he left the French club.

He proved in California that he still had legs after injuries precipitated his departure from Manchester United in 2017.

"Lions do not recover like humans," he said.

But Ibrahimovic's strength is that he has the talent to back up his verbal jibes.

He delighted fans with his "kung fu" goals, his outrageous overhead goal against England in 2012, or the slalom in 2004 with Ajax, dribbling past six players to beat the goalkeeper, which launched his career.

At PSG, he became the best scorer in the club's history, with 156 goals in 180 games, before being overtaken by Edinson Cavani.

He was twice top Serie A scorer, in 2009 with Inter and in 2012 with AC Milan, he also has the record for the Swedish national team with 62 goals.

His first year with Manchester United was a success, with 28 goals in 46 games, before he was sidelined with a his knee ligament tear before leaving Europe in March 2018.