Ibrahimovic: RVP should quit Arsenal

AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic advises Robin Van Persie to leave when he is at the top of his game instead of carrying the hopes of an ailing Arsenal side.

Ibrahimovic has been one of the most nomadic forwards in the modern game. But he is also an astute player as each of his transfers has only brought the striker greater success.

The forward has won a league title each year for the past eight years during which he donned the jerseys of Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona and AC Milan. With Milan a point ahead of Juventus having played an extra game, many observers are already predicting that the Swede will achieve a ninth consecutive league title this year. 

So he advised his counterpart to understand the only motivation that should matter to a footballer: Success. 

"When you don't win anything for years, people understand why you leave like Cesc Fabregas," Ibrahimovic told The Sun. 

"Football is all about winning. If you don't win you want to go.

Van Persie has been in sensational form this year and leads the Premier League's goalscoring charts having scored 22 goals. He is singlehandedly keeping Arsenal's hopes of achieving qualification for the Champions League alive. 

The Swedish international added: "I don't know Robin personally but I remember him from Holland and what a talent he was - now he is complete.

"I don't know what he is thinking but I know what I would do.

"I have made a lot of moves in my life - I take it as a challenge, an adventure.

"But if you stay in one place all your life it is easy to play football. But if you move to five different places it is a real test. 

"If you succeed that's when you become a real champion, that's when you get more respect."

Arsenal play Sunderland in the FA Cup Fifth Round on Saturday with the domestic tournament probably the only chance for the Dutchman to attain silverware this season. 

Van Persie has one year left on his contract after the end of the current season and recent rumours have linked him with moves to Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona. 

Eurosport