IBRAHIMOVIC ‘BACK TO FINISH WHAT I STARTED’ AT UNITED FOOTBALL
Swede rejoins on one-year deal after injury cut short an impressive debut last season
Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has re-signed for Manchester United on a one-year deal.
The Swede, 35, scored 28 goals for United during an impressive debut season before it was prematurely cut short by a knee ligament injury.
United did not offer Ibrahimovic a second year on his contract at the end of last season, but the club confirmed yesterday that they have agreed a new deal with him.
A statement from the club read: “Manchester United is delighted to announce that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will continue his journey with the club and has signed a one-year contract. He will wear the number 10 shirt.”
I am back to finish what I started. It was always mine and the club’s intention for me to stay ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC
Ibrahimovic himself said: “I am back to finish what I started. It was always mine and the club’s intention for me to stay.
“I cannot wait to get back out on that Old Trafford pitch, but I also know that I have to take my time to make sure that I am ready. I have been working hard and will continue to do so to make sure I am in the best possible condition for my return to the pitch.”
United manager Jose Mourinho added: “We are delighted Zlatan is on the road to recovery and we are equally delighted to have his ambition and experience back with us. After his contribution last season he deserves our trust and we will be patient waiting for him to return.
“I have no doubt that he will be important in the second part of the season.”
Ibrahimovic damaged knee ligaments in April during the Europa League quarter-final tie against Anderlecht and underwent surgery soon after.
United offered him the use of their Carrington facilities to carry out his rehabilitation and Mourinho kept a keen eye on the player’s recovery, admitting a new deal could be on the cards last month.
On Sunday Ibrahimovic posted a video on Twitter challenging his followers to guess which knee he had damaged as he showed off his taekwondo moves – the Swede is a black belt in the martial art – on a punch bag. It was originally uncertain whether Ibrahimovic would play again in 2017 but the footage suggested the striker was well ahead of schedule in his recovery.
The Los Angeles Galaxy had long been linked with a move for the former Malmo, Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward.
However, Ibrahimovic will return to United, for whom Romelu Lukaku has made an impressive start to the campaign with three Premier League goals following his £75 million (Dh353m) summer move from Everton.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez is fit to face Liverpool on Sunday and is focused on giving “absolutely everything” for the team despite uncertainty over the striker’s future at the club, manager Arsene Wenger has said.
The Chilean, Arsenal’s top scorer with 24 league goals last season, has attracted plenty of interest from rival clubs as he enters the final year of his contract and missed the first two Premier League games of the season with an abdominal strain.
“Sanchez has worked hard to be back and available again,” Wenger told reporters yesterday. “Alexis works very hard, he’s very focused and gives absolutely everything.
“He looks ready, he has not played for long time so I will have to decide what I do with him. He could start but we have to make that decision.
“We play on Sunday and he looks in good shape.”