Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho has dropped another massive hint that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will play for Manchester United again.
Manchester United splurged £75million for signing Romelu Lukaku from Everton this summer and Mourimho accentuated that he had to spend the cash for roping in a new striker due to Zlatan’s injury.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has surprised everyone as he is set to return to fitness well ahead of schedule and is believed to sign a new deal at Manchester United.
The towering Swede had suffered an anterior cruciate knee injury after landing awkwardly on his knee during the final minutes of Man Utd’s Europa League win over Anderlecht.
It was believed that the former Barcelona man would not return to the pitch until the New Year.
The former Sweden skipper underwent an operation on his knee to repair a cruiciate ligament at the Pittsburh’s Medical Center.
The serious knee injury had threatened to bring an unceremonious end to Zlatan’s illustrious footballing career which has seen him donning the shirts of Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, PSG, Ajax and Manchester United.
Fans had feared that his career could be over after Manchester United released him this month as they did not use of the option of extending his contract by a year.
Despite being released by the club, Zlatan has stayed in Cheshire and has stepped up his recovery routine.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is already back at Manchester United as he continues to recover from his nightmare knee injury.
He has returned to Carrington after the club offered to help him overcome his huge setback.
Zlatan is working with his own full-time physio and is also being helped by the United medical staff, to implement a recovery process that would help the towering Swede to return well ahead of schedule.
And Mourinho now suggested that Zlatan will be back as a part of the Red Devils squad within six months.
Mourinho said: “We spent big money on a striker because, with strikers, you either spend or you don’t get.”
“We spent because of what happened to Zlatan and we cannot allow ourselves to be without an important, strong striker for the first six months of the season.”
Mourinho has shown faith in his younger players in the USA during the pre-season tour.
He has used seven players who burst into the scene through the club’s academy and youth teams.
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He has included Timothy Fosu-Mensah, 19; Demetri Mitchell, 20, Joel Pereira, 21; Andreas Pereira, 21; Scott McTominay, 20 – along with trid and tested Man Utd academy graduates Marcus Rashford, 19, and Jesse Lingard, 24.
This is a bit surprising as Mourinho has never shown faith in youngsters before arriving at Old Trafford last season.
And now he pointed out Real Madrid’s line up against United in Santa Clara as an example to defend his new philosophy.
The former Real boss said: “More than half of their team — which is their first team because they were only missing Ronaldo and Ramos — all these guys started with me and had debuts with me.”
“They came into the first team with me, trained with me at 15 and 16 years old. Nacho, Casemiro, Calvajal, Morata, Marcello was 20.”
“So probably in a few years Man United will also have half a dozen of these kids.”
“I think Scott McTominay and Demetri Mitchell are also kids to have a future in the club. And Andreas Pereira is back.”
“So when the kids are good and have potential, there is no problem.”