AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli has expanded on Zlatan Ibrahimovic's admission that he was talked out of retirement.

The Swede says he had told Milan he would retire in the summer of 2020, but Pioli convinced him to change his mind.

“I try to be direct with every player," said Pioli. “When you speak from the heart, it's more likely people will listen to you.

“I told Zlatan that considering what we'd started, it wasn't right to interrupt it now.

"I told him to think carefully, because I, Paolo Maldini, Ricky Massara and Ivan Gazidis would do everything possible to convince him. We're very happy that he is here."