Jose Mourinho open to offering a short-term contract to Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has refused to rule out the possibility of re-signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic once he recovers from his long-term knee injury. The big Swede sustained nasty damage to his left knee during the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final tie against Anderlecht after he landed awkwardly while attempting a header.

As a result, he underwent a surgery which is set to keep him out of first-team action until the festive period. United had the option of extending Ibrahimovic’s contract by a further year over the summer, but they instead opted to release him with the possibility of a comeback in the future. The 35-year-old has been working out at United’s Carrington base over the past few months, and Mourinho has now hinted that the veteran could make a sensational return to the United ranks.

“Maybe he’ll stay with us. He’s not got a contract, but he’s still close to Manchester, and the fact we are involved in the Super Cup now is also his merit,” he told reporters h/t The Independent prior to his side’s European Super Cup clash against Real Madrid.

Ibrahimovic’s move to Old Trafford was quite a surprise last summer with the striker approaching the latter stages of his career. However, he made an instant impression in the Red Devils shirt after he bagged the winner in the Community Shield win over former English champions Leicester City. The marksman therein maintained his form through the campaign – barring a minor goal drought in between, and he eventually bagged 28 goals across all competitions.

The Red Devils have since moved on to bring a young Romelu Lukaku to their ranks, and there could yet be a place for Ibrahimovic in the lineup with Mourinho recently opting for a new 3-5-2 formation. Manchester United start their Premier League campaign with a game against West Ham United at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Image – Getty