Alphonso Davies (2nd l.), who will join Bayern Munich in January 2019, has already scored three goals in just seven appearances for the Canada national team. - © © gettyimages / Bob Levey / Freier Fotograf
Alphonso Davies (2nd l.), who will join Bayern Munich in January 2019, has already scored three goals in just seven appearances for the Canada national team. - © © gettyimages / Bob Levey / Freier Fotograf

"I see a bright future!" – Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Bayern Munich wonderkid Alphonso Davies

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Sweden legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes that future Bayern Munich winger Alphonso Davies is set for a successful future when he trades the MLS for the Bundesliga.

Ibrahimovic, who turns 37 this week, starred in the LA Galaxy's 3-0 win over Davies' Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday and appeared to be impressed by his 17-year-old opponent, who will join the record champions during the 2018/19 winter break.  

"If he's going to Bayern, then he's a good player," the former Ajax, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain forward said. "They don't choose bad players, especially young ones. At a club like Bayern, he will learn a lot. If they saw something, they saw something big, because they don't get anyone just like that."

Ibrahimovic, who moved from his native Sweden to the Netherlands as a 19-year-old, also warned Davies that it will not necessarily be easy to adapt to his new environment – especially given the hype surrounding his move to Bundesliga giants Bayern – but that he shouldn't feel overwhelmed rubbing shoulders with the likes of Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels, Franck Ribery and Thomas Müller.

"I just hope he's ready when he goes there," he said. "Because when he arrives he will be lonely and the competition will be big, so he needs to be mentally strong. And when he sees the big players, not show too much respect. You're going there for a reason, because you're part of the team. Then it's up to him to do the rest, so I see a bright future!"

Davies, who was born in a Ghanaian refugee camp and arrived in Canada at the age of five, only obtained his Canadian citizenship in June 2017, yet a month later he had become the national side's youngest ever goalscorer against French Guiana. Bayern announced that they had secured his services in July 2018, with sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic describing him as "a very big talent" who "offers a lot of promise for the future".

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