Jose bets it all on Zlatan
JOSE MOURINHO is banking on having Zlatan Ibrahimovic back in his Manchester United side before Christmas.
The Old Trafford chief is so keen to see the Swede return to the fold that he has ditched plans to sign a second striker.
Ibrahimovic (left) missed the end of last season after damaging knee ligaments, forcing him to have an operation.
His time at United looked over after the club rejected the chance to trigger a 12-month contract extension, with the
35-year-old expected to be out of action until January.
But the striker has returned to United’s Carrington training base to do his rehabilitation and is ahead of schedule.
It has emerged that Ibrahimovic has spoken to United about a short-term deal after targeting a December comeback.
Mourinho signed Romelu Lukaku from Everton in a £75m deal but allowed Wayne Rooney to go in the opposite direction and was keen to bring in another forward.
Reject
But the United boss is confident of having Ibrahimovic available for the second half of the season and will focus on signing a winger.
Ivan Perisic of Inter Milan is his top target, although United have been unwilling to match the Croatian’s £48m valuation.
But Inter boss Luciano Spalletti admitted he could let Perisic go. “If someone comes in with a very difficult offer to reject, then we’ll consider that,” he said
Mourinho has been boosted in his pursuit of Nemanja Matic. The Chelsea midfielder has told his club he has no intention of moving to Juventus and has his heart set on United.
Matic has been left out of Chelsea’s summer tour and United are willing to pay in excess of £40m.
United are sure David De Gea will stay, despite Real Madrid’s continued interest, and they have put a £80m price tag on their keeper.