It was a real shame to see Zlatan Ibrahimovic crumpled on the floor clutching his knee during Manchester United’s Europa League tie against Anderlecht in April.

You could see that he’d sustained tremendous damage to his right knee and he was certainly going to miss the rest of the season.

Thankfully he was in Stockholm to watch on as his United teammates clinched the club’s first ever Europa League title.

Up until the injury occurred, Zlatan had done his best to defy age and critics alike. Many had stated that the thirty-five year old was too old to make a significant impact in the English Premier League.

But Zlatan being Zlatan just did his thing and that was score goals. In total he  grabbed twenty-seven goals in competitive games for the Old Trafford side (I haven’t included the Community Shield strike).

His age clearly wasn’t an issue as he would start forty times and he would rack up more than 3300 minutes on the field.

The world class striker became the team’s focal point and Jose Mourinho would rely on Ibrahimovic to lead his side. Zlatan relished that responsibility and he would often pull his side up by their boot laces and make a real difference in games.

His warrior spirit and winning at all cost attitude helped to inspire those around him.

Training alongside Ibra would have helped shape the careers of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial for the better. They could assess his movement and instinctive finishes on a daily basis. The fact he was still producing at the top level in his mid-thirties shows them that he’s looked after himself and it’s worth listening to him or seeking him out for advice.

So have we seen the last of Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Old Trafford? 

I’m not so sure.

Let’s say he’s out for another six months, that would see him out until the new year.

Yes Manchester United have technically released him from there squad but it’s also been reported that they have offered their training ground to the forward as his rehab hub.

That move could be a stroke of genius by Mourinho and the United board. They will have the man around Carrington on a regular basis and he’d still help the younger squad members whenever they feel down or give them a kick up the backside if he feels it’s warranted. It’s like having a free coach on hand.

Jose would also be able to keep an eye on the Swedish superstar’s progress as he return from injury. If he returns to fitness with the same sharpness as he had last season, then he could be an ideal signing for the Red Devils especially if they are still in the Champions League and/or challenging for the Premier League title.

The player himself believes he can make a telling comeback:

“I will go through this like everything else and come back even stronger”

Would we really be surprised to see Zlatan Ibrahimovic return for a golden swan song and ending his Manchester United career on his own terms?

Well I certainly won’t be writing him off that’s for sure!

Posted on June 12th, 2017 by scott
Filed under: Article