Mourinho admits Ibrahimovic likely to leave United in summer
JOSE Mourinho expects Zlatan Ibrahimovic to leave Manchester United at the end of the campaign.
The 36-year-old Swedish striker established himself as fans’ favourite at Old Trafford last season, with his self-confidence backed up by a 28-goal haul and numerous match-winning displays.
Ibrahimovic scored at Wembley in the EFL Cup and Community Shield successes, but serious knee ligament damage denied him a starring role as United won the Europa League in his homeland. April’s quarter-final against Anderlecht looked to be the veteran’s last appearance for the club, only to be re-signed in August until the end of the 2017-18 campaign having impressed during his rehabilitation.
However, Ibrahimovic has not featured since Boxing Day after suffering a knee complaint seven matches into his comeback and Mourinho now expects him to leave this summer as talk of a move to Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy rumbles on.
“For Zlatan, we all think it’s his last season at Manchester United,” the United boss said. “And it will be a very personal decision for him to play or to stop.
“I think he won the right of choosing his life, his future — such an amazing player with such an amazing career, that only that awful injury in the wrong moment broke a fantastic couple of seasons that he could and should have had with us.
“This season has been really difficult for him. Is he injured? No, he’s not injured. Does he feel totally happy, totally ready and totally convinced that he’s in a condition to help the team? In this moment, no, but he’s such an honest guy and such a champion. He only wants to be back with that feeling of ‘I’m totally ready for it’, so he’s working hard.”
Ibrahimovic is sure to want a grandiose end to his time at United, who could also see Marouane Fellaini leave this summer.
A largely divisive figure after linking up with ex-Everton boss David Moyes in 2013, the imposing Belgium midfielder ignored the critics to establish himself as a key player under Mourinho.
But Fellaini (30) has yet to repay that faith by signing a contract extension at Old Trafford, fuelling speculation that he will leave as a free agent in the summer. “Is he going to stay or leave? I don’t know,” said Mourinho.
“I want him to stay, the club want him to stay.
“The process, the negotiations, the numbers, the distances between the offer and what he wants, I really don’t know.”
One positive of Fellaini’s absence is the emergence of academy graduate Scott McTominay.
The 21-year-old is hoping to make his fourth straight start in Monday’s Premier League trip to Crystal Palace, with his solid United displays attracting admiring glances from England and Scotland.