We never thought we’d say this, but well played.
The ‘Welcome to Manchester’ billboard idea is a joke that became very old very quickly. It was originally kicked off by Manchester City when they used the slogan on an image of Carlos Tevez to promote the fact that he’d switched allegiances from United to the Blues in 2009; the implication being that Tevez had finally moved to a Manchester club, as City fans don’t class Old Trafford as ‘Manchester’.
Of course City fans found it hilarious and loved that it was a veiled insult to their red neighbours, whilst United fans perceived it as ‘small time’ and evidence of a ‘United obsession’ that they accuse City supporters of. Regardless the image became both notorious and weirdly iconic, and it led to numerous awful parodies and pastiches in following years.
But believe or not, Man United (we assume they’re behind it) have actually managed to create a genuinely funny take on the trope. Electronic signage on Manchester’s Market Street was emblazoned with an image of new United man Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the original Tevez style. But this time it was poking fun at the Swede’s famous ego.
Instead of the expected ‘Welcome to Manchester’ message to the former PSG man, it read: ‘Manchester. Welcome to Zlatan’. That it happened to be above the Man City shop is purely coincidental we’re sure…
https://twitter.com/PeoplesPerson_/status/748884863571390464
https://twitter.com/Copa90/status/748881152094724096
@DavidAmoyal pic.twitter.com/8ksqcOutXb
— Hadi (@HadiJichi) July 1, 2016
