Arijon Ibrahimovic’s loan to 1. FC Heidenheim has brought him impressively into the spotlight. The 20-year-old moved from FC Bayern to the Brenz on loan last summer – and developed into a permanent fixture there within a very short space of time. His performances are no longer just an issue in Heidenheim, but have now also attracted the interest of several clubs at home and abroad
Under coach Frank Schmidt, Ibrahimovic has become an integral part of the starting eleven. In the first half of the season, the right-footer played in every game for Heidenheim, 14 of them from the start. The consistency of his playing time also reflects his sporting standing. Ibrahimovic brings dynamism, courage in one-on-one situations and an enormous willingness to run – qualities that are particularly in demand in the relegation battle
As reported by Transfermarkt, the attacking player is even the measure of all things in terms of intensity throughout the league. With 375 sprints, Ibrahimovic clearly leads this statistic, while his top speed of 35.05 km/h underlines his athletic profile. He even leaves players such as Hoffenheim’s Bazoumana Touré or Bayern’s Michael Olise far behind in this category
His development has not gone unnoticed at national level either. At the end of last year, the Nuremberg native made his debut for the German U21 national team – further proof of his upward sporting trend
Market value increases, interest grows
According to Transfermarkt, in addition to four Bundesliga clubs, several clubs from abroad have also put out feelers for the Bayern loanee
Interest from Italy and Spain is said to be particularly concrete, with Serie A clubs AC Florence and Cagliari Calcio intensively involved with Ibrahimovic and having signalled their willingness to transfer. Serie A would not be new territory for the attacking player, who has already gained experience in the Italian top flight during previous loan spells at Frosinone and Lazio Roma, where he made 17 appearances and provided two assists
According to Transfermarkt, there is also a concrete inquiry from the Spanish LaLiga. FC Villarreal are keeping a close eye on the 20-year-old’s development and are apparently examining a possible signing. Several Bundesliga clubs are also said to have Ibrahimovic on their radar, although no names have been mentioned
No real prospects at FC Bayern
While the number of interested parties is increasing, Ibrahimovic himself has recently spoken clearly about his future. He made it clear to the Münchner Abendzeitung newspaper at the end of last year that he could not imagine another loan move. „I don’t want to be loaned out again,“ explained the under-21 international, while also hinting that he could certainly imagine a longer-term perspective in Heidenheim
FC Heidenheim would like to keep the top performer beyond the current loan deal, but the competition is not sleeping. In addition, the final decision lies with FC Bayern, where Ibrahimovic is still contractually bound until 2027
The development of the attacking player is being closely monitored at Säbener Strasse. Ibrahimovic is still regarded as an exciting talent whose market value and sporting status have been significantly boosted by the loan. Nevertheless, the attacking all-rounder has hardly any prospects at the record champions. There is already immense competition among top players such as Luis Diaz, Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabry and youngster Lennart Karl
One thing is clear: if Bayern receive an attractive offer for Ibrahimovic in the summer, they will probably let the home-grown player go.