[Warchant]

Milan superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic has offered a Swedish teenager a dream opportunity with the Serie A giants after discovering him in his very own back garden.

Malmo teenager Erik Kristjansson got the shock of his life when Ibrahimovic told him to pack his bags and head for Italy for a trial with the Rossoneri after the two enjoyed a kickabout at his home in Sweden.

The Swedish striker is friends with Kristjansson's architect father Gisli who helped renovate Ibrahimovic's mansion in his native Malmo. Luckily for the teenager he accompanied his dad to the house last weekend and snapped up the chance to have a kickabout with its owner Ibra who was home for a visit.

Ibrahimovic was impressed with the 16-year old's skills and was immediately on the phone to Milan.

"Zlatan came out and said, ‘How would you like to try playing for Milan?’," Gisli Kristjansson told Swedish news site The Local.

"We said, are you joking, and he said it was no joke. We couldn’t believe it," added the delighted dad.

The very next morning the teenager boarded a plane destined for Italy and has spent the week training with the other talented youngsters in the famous Milan youth academy.

"It's like a fairy tale. I’m a bit nervous, but football is Erik's life and as a father, how could I say no to an opportunity like this," Mr Kristjansson said.

His son Erik has been busy in his first week settling into his dormitory and taking part in training.

"Our training sessions are like the games at a very high tempo. I'm learning an incredible amount. Wherever it leads to we'll see. I hope I get to stay," Erik Kristjansson told Swedish newspaper Sydsvenskan.

"I see myself as a winger but I've also played in other positions. It's a lot of running but I've got good lungs!"

Ambitious Erik is hoping to emulate Malmo's most famous son by making his name in Italy. For now the teenager doesn't even have a return ticket home.

"I don’t know when I’m coming home. Hopefully never," the teenager told Sydsvenskan.

"My life is football and this is the chance of a lifetime. I didn't believe it was true when Zlatan told me I could come here. Even if this doesn't turn into anything I'll still gain a lot of experience and other clubs might become interested. My goal is to see how far I can go in football."

goal.com