Is Ibrahimovic on the verge of a breakthrough at Bayern? Former coach tempers expectations | OneFootball

Arijon Ibrahimovic has been given the opportunity at FC Bayern to establish himself permanently on the professional roster. After his loan stint with 1. FC Heidenheim, the attacking player returned to Säbener Straße and is expected to play a bigger role going forward. His former coach, Frank Schmidt, is convinced of the 20-year-old’s potential—but warns against taking the next step in his development for granted.

By extending his contract through 2028, Bayern has sent a clear signal. Ibrahimovic remains one of the players whom club officials believe has a bright future. In the new season, he is expected to gain valuable playing time primarily on the left wing as a backup for Luis Díaz and gradually establish himself in Vincent Kompany’s team.

His loan to Heidenheim served its purpose. In the Bundesliga, the versatile attacker gained valuable experience and continued to develop under Frank Schmidt.

Frank Schmidt sees great potential

In an interview with SPORT1, the Heidenheim coach gave a positive assessment of their time together. “I can only evaluate the time Ari spent with us and how satisfied we were with his performance,” Schmidt explained.

The 51-year-old believes that, despite his Bundesliga experience, Ibrahimovic is still very much at the beginning of his development: “He’s still a young player who took his first significant steps in the Bundesliga last season.”

As an example, Schmidt cited the spectacular 3-3 draw against FC Bayern in the second half of last season, in which Ibrahimovic drew attention with an assist. For the experienced coach, however, this is just the beginning.

“When you’ve seen what he’s brought to the field, you naturally have the imagination and the belief that he’s at the beginning of his career and, of course, can still make great strides—but he also has a lot to learn. I’m certain he can succeed in that environment at Bayern Munich, but it won’t be a walk in the park,” Schmidt emphasized.

Bayern Demands the Next Step

Photo: IMAGO

The path forward is clearly defined at Säbener Straße as well. After extending his contract, sporting director Christoph Freund made it clear that Ibrahimovic must now make the transition from a promising talent to a full-fledged professional.

“For him, it’s no longer just about learning—now it’s about making an impact here at FC Bayern,” Freund explained in a club statement.

The forward himself is pursuing exactly this goal. “I want to prove myself here and make my mark, racking up as many minutes as possible,” Ibrahimovic recently told the Münchner Abendzeitung. The 20-year-old makes no secret of how much this new opportunity means to him: “I’m thrilled to be getting this chance at the world’s biggest club.”

With Luis Diaz ahead of him in the competition for playing time, Ibrahimovic is likely to take on the role of the challenger for now. However, following his convincing performances in Heidenheim and his strong showing in the friendly against FC Rottach-Egern, the 20-year-old is well-positioned to establish himself as a valuable option under Vincent Kompany.