Agent says Ibrahimovic to play another 5 years

MILAN (AP) -- Zlatan Ibrahimovic's agent says the AC Milan striker is not about to quit the sport and he expects him to play for at least another five years.

The 30-year-old Ibrahimovic said Wednesday that he is not enjoying his football as much as previously and claimed he wants to retire while still at his best.

"Ibra will play until he is at least 35,'' Ibrahimovic's agent Mino Raiola told Thursday's Gazzetta dello Sport. "He lives for football and knows well that this profession entails a lot of sacrifices. It's natural that the motivation isn't the same as three years ago. He was being honest in admitting that he will only play while he feels 100 percent.''

Raiola said Ibrahimovic's comments should be taken in the context of Milan's disappointing 2-0 loss to Juventus at the weekend.

"I'm not at all alarmed. Of course he's a bit down after the defeat in Turin,'' Raiola said. "In cases like this, the bitterness only lasts a few days. Then you will see that he will return to his usual self.

"I know him. In these cases he will multiply his efforts and focus to be a reference point on and off the pitch.''

Ibrahimovic, who helped fire his team to the Serie A title last season, is in his second year with Milan - having spent three years at their bitter rivals Inter Milan before moving to Barcelona in 2009.

The Sweden forward still has three years left on his contract with Milan and Raiola is not ruling out the player seeing out his career with the Serie A giants.

"It's still too early to say,'' added Raiola. "It will also depend on Milan: both of them need to want to renew the contract.''

Ibrahimovic is currently with the Sweden squad, preparing for the crucial European Championship qualifiers against Finland and the Netherlands.

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