Ajax will not exercise the buy-out option in the loan agreement with Milan. In January, Ajax surprised everyone by signing the Swede and a purchase option was agreed upon: they would be able to make it a permanent deal for €3.5m. However, Ibrahimovic never really hit his stride ultimately.
Qualifying for the Champions League is crucial both from a financial standpoint, with budgetary requirements, and from an attractiveness standpoint, as it's a key tool in convincing foreign players to come and play in Italy.