Ibrahimovic retired in 2023 after his final season with Milan and moved into a senior advisory role with owner RedBird Capital shortly afterwards. He has served in a cross-functional capacity across sporting, commercial and strategic areas, but his visibility at the club has diminished sharply over the course of this season.
Pistocchi wrote on X: "There's a presence — and what a presence — that has disappeared from the daily life at Milan, and nobody talks about it. It's Ibrahimovic, whom Allegri has banned from the dressing room, and who, after being absent all year, is watching the situation unfold."
He added that Ibrahimovic has maintained contact with an unnamed former associate who would be willing to replace Allegri if the coach departs — whether to take the Italy national team job, which has become available following Gennaro Gattuso's resignation, or because Milan fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Corriere dello Sport has separately reported that Allegri has a cool relationship with parts of the club's leadership, and that the coach is demanding significant investment in the summer transfer window as a condition of staying. According to the paper, the squad needs reinforcing if Milan are to compete at the highest level next season.
Allegri managed Ibrahimovic during his first spell at Milan and the two won the Serie A title together. The Swede's current role as RedBird's operating partner at the club means the standoff with the head coach carries institutional weight beyond a straightforward personality clash.