AC Milan confirm signing of striker Mario Mandzukic, hand him the iconic No 9 shirt for this season

AC Milan have completed the signing of Mario Mandzukic on a six-month deal with the striker handed the club’s iconic No 9 shirt.

The 34-year-old Croatian superstar joins the club on a free transfer after leaving Qatari side Al-Duhail last July and will add more experience to Milan’s attack, which already has an in-form, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Milan, who are currently top of the Italian table by three points, also have the option to extend Mandzukic’s deal by a further year.

The move for the former Juventus, Bayern Munich, and Atlético Madrid star has been lauded by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who said he is delighted to partner him in a bid to help secure the Serie A title this season.

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

He added: ‘So far we are doing well. We are almost halfway through the league and now the games are starting to be more difficult.

‘It will be a very tough season, but now with Mandzukic and Meite, and I don’t know if others will arrive, we will have more players available for the coach that can rotate in.’

Mandzukic has enjoyed an accomplished career so far, winning 24 trophies over a 17-year period.

The Croatian international has won the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup with Bayern, while also winning domestic honours in Germany on multiple occasions.

He also featured for Juventus between 2015 and 2019, scoring 44 goals in 162 games in all competitions. He has won the Scudetto on four different occasions with the Old Lady.

In 497 appearances since making his professional debut in 2004, Mandzukic has gone on to score 197 goals and provide 84 assists across five different leagues.