Mario Mandzukic: Ex-Juventus, Bayern, Atletico Madrid striker joins AC Milan on a free transfer

ByEurosport

Updated 19/01/2021 at 11:29 GMT

Mario Mandzukic has joined AC Milan where he will likely be a backup for Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front. The Croatia international has also played for Juventus, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Wolfsburg in a decorated career that has seen him win 23 major trophies. In total he has scored 214 goals in 548 appearances.

Mario Mandzukic

Image credit: Getty Images

Mario Mandzukic has completed a free transfer to AC Milan until the end of the season.

The Croatia international will wear the number nine and will link up with Zlatan Ibrahimovic who is excited to see the former Juventus striker join him in Milan.

“I am very happy,” the veteran Swedish striker told Sky Italy on Monday. “There will be two of us to scare the opponents now!”

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Eurosport's Dean Jones broke the story last week in his Inside Football column that Milan had turned their attention to Mandzukic after Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic agreed a move back to Eintracht Frankfurt on loan:

The Italian club are searching for a striker to boost their chances of winning Serie A this season and had done background checks on whether Jovic might be keen on the move as he struggled for game time at Real Madrid. However, Jovic decided he wants to go back to his old club on loan for the rest of the season to rediscover his goalscoring touch. Mandzukic is now seen as an ideal option to back-up Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Rafael Leao for the run-in.

Mandzukic made 162 appearances for Juve between 2015 and 2020 and scored 44 goals.

He then joined Qatari side Al-Duhail where he scored one goal in seven appearances, winning the domestic title in the process, before terminating his contract in early July.

He was a runner-up with Croatia, who he has 89 caps for, at the 2018 World Cup.