Zlatan Ibrahimovic said he rejected a move to Manchester City because he doubts the club can challenge for the Premier League title.

Ibrahimovic signed a four-year contract with AC Milan instead and he reckons that Roberto Mancini's men are at least two years away from mounting a serious Premier League title challenge.

"City must fight Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal - sides which took years to build," he said.

"City are still a side for the future. I chose Milan because they are a team that can win prizes now.

"City can wait for the future but I can't."

The Swedish striker has not been short of an opinion since his move away from Barcelona. The 28-year-old recently labeled his ex-Barca boss Pep Guardiola as a "small-time" coach.

"In my book, a great coach solves his problems. A small-time coach runs from them.

"They did not want to sell me but there was one person (Guardiola) who was desperate to sell me.

"I've had (Fabio) Capello and (Jose) Mourinho - two of the world's top disciplinarian coaches - and have not had a single problem.

"But suddenly I had a thousand problems and I had no communication with 'the philosopher' - no communication whatsoever. I don't know what his problem was.

"The problems began in March. I asked for an explanation, but he did not give it to me.

"I couldn't take it. I had no choice but to find a new place of work and I was lucky to go to a club like Milan.

"I will soon be 29 years old and cannot afford to lose a year sitting on the bench and watching the weather. I saw what happened last season with Thierry Henry."