LA Galaxy have been chasing Zlatan Ibrahimovic for years.
Following a three-year pursuit of the enigmatic Swede, Galaxy confirmed the acquisition of Ibrahimovic on Friday after Manchester United agreed to terminate his contract.
And the Major League Soccer side reportedly used former midfielder David Beckham to persuade Ibrahimovic to make the move to the StubHub Centre.
Beckham and Ibrahimovic have a shared history of several clubs with both lining out for Paris Saint-Germain immediately after separate spells at AC Milan.
The Times report how Beckham gushed about his experience at LA Galaxy over dinner with Ibrahimovic, who has recently hinted at a sensational return to the Sweden squad ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
Ibrahimovic and agent Mino Raiola toyed with the idea of switching to the MLS in 2016 amid interest from the Galaxy, but instead decided to try out life in the Premier League with the Red Devils.
After a terrific debut season with United, the 36-year-old has struggled this term with injuries and hadn’t featured for Jose Mourinho’s side since Boxing Day.
With retirement not a million miles away, the time clearly felt right for Ibrahimovic to take his talents Stateside and the Galaxy have Beckham to thank for planting the seed.
“I met David when I played in PSG and he talked a lot about Galaxy, the experience he had in America, he was all positive,” Ibrahimovic said in an interview with the MLS.
“He was like: ‘You should come over, go over, and try it out, play there’.
“He said everything is fantastic, it’s in progress, but to be part of it is something amazing and something he was proud of.
“So I’m just happy to get all these words because it makes it easier for you when you have to choose whatever you want to do for the next step.
“And like I said, this thing was supposed to happen before but it didn’t happen, but it’s happening now, so it’s the destiny.”
