Milan have not won the scudetto since 2004 and owner Silvio Berlusconi's frugal approach to transfers during the global economic crisis meant there was little hope of the Rossoneri threatening perennial champions Inter Milan until now.
The Italian prime minister said in July that the prospect of a move for former Inter striker Ibrahimovic was unlikely because the Swede might not fit into the dressing room.
"With a man like that upfront, Milan can close the gap," AS Roma coach Claudio Ranieri, who led his side to a close second behind Inter last term, told reporters.
Ibrahimovic was the talisman for Inter's 2007, 2008 and 2009 scudettos but his first season at Barcelona was mixed, allowing seven-times European champions Milan to pounce.
"All of us at Milan have to thank Silvio Berlusconi for the economic force he has put into the deal," Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani told reporters on announcing the transfer.
The figure is significantly less than Barca paid for him last July in a swap deal with Inter involving Samuel Eto'o which was valued around 66 million euros.
Despite Milan's cleverness in keeping the cost of the transfer down, some experts believe the move is evidence of Milan admitting that the policy of only signing journeymen and relying on the waning talents of Ronaldinho did not work.
"It's panic buying at the end of the tranfer window. Milan and Berlusconi have become desperate," Professor Chris Brady, dean of London's BPP Business School and a former semi-professional footballer, told Reuters.
"I don't understand this deal, I really don't."
Part of the reason for the perplexity is Ibrahimovic's past at city rivals Inter, whose fans are bound to give the Swede a rough ride in the San Siro derbies this season.
