Ajax sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s son Maximilian on loan from AC Milan
The deal features an option for Ajax to make the move permanent.
Maxmilian Ibrahimovic has made another career move to follow in his father’s footsteps after joining Ajax on loan from AC Milan.
The 19-year-old forward, son of legendary Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, joined Milan’s academy from Hammarby in 2022 and made his professional debut for the Rossoneri’s reserve side in January, 2025. Zlatan Ibrahimovic had two spells at Milan in his decorated career and became a senior advisor to the club in 2023 following his retirement.
Now Ibrahimovic will play for the club his father joined from Malmo in 2001, after signing for Ajax on a six-month loan deal, which includes an option for the Eredivisie giants to make the transfer permanent.
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“Ibrahimovic is just a name”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic won two Eredivisie titles and one KNVB Cup during his time with Ajax, scoring 48 goals in 110 appearances in all competitions, his performances earning him a move to Juventus before he went on to play for Inter Milan, Barcelona, Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United as well as a spell in the USA with LA Galaxy.
Yet Maximilian made it clear he has joined the club to write his own story.
He told Ajax’s website: “[It’s] nice that my father also played for Ajax. I am happy that I get the opportunity to continue developing myself here as well. I am here to do my own thing. And I am really looking forward to that.
”I am my own person and player, and I want to write my own story. I feel good. I’m excited.”
On what his dad told him about Ajax, he added: “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. I think my father is happy for me.”
“Ibrahimovic is just a name. I am Maximilian. We are both very different.”
Ajax want Ibrahimovic long term
While the initial deal is only for the remainder of the season, Ajax are hopeful they can have another Ibrahimovic on their books for the long term.
“We are very pleased with the arrival of Maximilian,” Director of Football Marijn Beuker said.
“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.
“He will initially mainly get his playing minutes with Ajax U23 and will regularly move between Ajax U23 and the first team during the season, so that he can get used to the higher level and the intensity of Ajax 1.
“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.”
Ajax are third in the Eredivisie, 16 points behind runaway leaders PSV Eindhoven but only three behind arch rivals Feyenoord in the race for the Champions League. They are third bottom in the Champions League table having claimed only one win from six games in the league phase.