Sweden's Ibrahimovic in initial Olympic squad

34-year-old is out of contract with PSG after four seasons in Ligue 1 and is yet to commit to a new club


Afp June 15, 2016
Sweden's forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic points his hand during the Euro 2016 group E football match between Ireland and Sweden at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, near Paris, on June 13, 2016. PHOTO: AFP

STOCKHOLM: Star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was on Wednesday named in an initial 35-man Sweden squad for the Rio Olympics in August.

The squad will be whittled down to 22 players in mid-July, with only three of those squad members to be born before 1993.

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Along with Ibrahimovic, 34, the enlarged squad includes only two other players currently featuring at the European championships in France: defenders Victor Lindelof, 21, and Ludwig Augustinsson, 22.

Coach Hakan Eriksson said the problem he faced was being able to find clubs ready to release players for the August 5-21 Olympics.

"It's a headache, extremely complicated," Eriksson said.

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"Some clubs say yes, others no, and others have not yet decided."

Ibrahimovic is out of contract with Paris Saint-Germain after four seasons in Ligue 1, but is yet to commit to a new club, although Manchester United are rumoured to be favourites to seal his signing.

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