John Hartson is hopeful Zlatan Ibrahimovic will secure a transfer to Manchester United this summer.
The former Welsh international is set to watch Wales take on the enigmatic Swedish attacker on Sunday in their final warm-up match ahead of Euro 2016.
There has been plenty of speculation as to where the former Paris Saint-Germain striker will be playing his football next season, with clubs around the world vying for his signature.
But Hartson wants the 34-year-old to choose a move to the Premier League.
‘I just think he’s a big strong player who’s pretty much got everything really so I am a big fan,’ he exclusively told Metro.co.uk, speaking at The Red Dragon pub as part of Carlsberg’s ‘Pubstitutions’ campaign.
‘Obviously if he was to come to the Premier League then I would look forward to seeing him more up close and to commentate on him.
‘It would be great if he came. I’m sure he has many options but we’d all love to see him.
‘If he’s going to come to England, he’ll go to Manchester United and that will be that.
‘He’s not getting any younger and we all want to see him here.’
Hartson has seen plenty of Ibrahimovic throughout his career but was aware of his talents before many others in the game having been tipped off by former Celtic team-mate Henrik Larsson.
‘I know quite a lot about him actually, I remember Henrik Larsson telling me about him at Celtic,’ he added.
‘He said: “There’s a young player coming through who is 17 years of age in Sweden and he’s going to be something special.
‘And that was Ibrahimovic. He’s gone on to become something really special.
‘His record speaks for itself in terms of the titles that he’s won with the teams he’s been at and the amount of money he’s been transferred for.’
While Hartson would not hide his desire for Ibrahimovic to come to the Premier League, he accepts there are many stumbling blocks in the way.
But he’s hopeful that Jose Mourinho’s relationship with the former AC Milan and Barcelona striker from their time at Inter Milan can secure a deal.
‘He’s got a bunch of clubs chasing him. I think he can take his pick,’ he claimed.
‘He could go to China or to the United States or even Manchester United.
‘I know Mourinho has worked with him before so they’ve got a good relationship.
‘Ibrahimovic is one of the best players in the world. He’s obviously a free transfer and it’ll be interesting to see where he ends up.’
The Sweden forward, should he play, will obviously provide a huge test for the Welsh defenders ahead of Euro 2016 and Hartson believes they should relish taking him on.
But he warned that Wales must use the game in the right way and manager Chris Coleman has to be careful not to overextend his key men.
‘It’s a great opportunity for the lads to come up against Ibrahimovic but the bigger picture is keeping yourself fit, keeping yourself sharp and getting ready for the tournament.
‘It’s more important for the Welsh players to come through without any injuries and get themselves ready for the game against Slovakia.
I’m not too sure whether Chris can risk too many injuries with only six days in between Sweden and the first game in Bordeaux.
‘It’s very close to the main game but I’m sure Chris knows what he’s doing and will be careful with the players.’
John Hartson met Wales fans at The Red Dragon pub in Wrexham as part of Carlsberg’s ‘Pubstitutions’ campaign. Follow @CarlsbergUK to discover how Carlsberg will be substituting the ordinary for the extraordinary for football fans in the build-up to the tournament.
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