By Dave Marshall
Manchester United have re-signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a 1-year contract that is a remarkable turnaround on what was a career doomed as “the end”. The striker was announced as a new player for the Premier League leaders, and has said that he is back at Old Trafford to complete the job he started.
The 35-year-old striker had an immediate impact at United last summer, scoring 28 goals to announce himself as a truly great striker, after years of being derided by the English press.
The former Sweden international is currently recuperating from a knee injury he suffered in a Europa League game against Anderlecht back in April that ruled him out of the season. He was initially diagnosed to be out for more than nine months but has shown remarkable recovery that has seen him show his comeback on social media.
New signing, Romelu Lukaku has hit the ground running at the Theatre of Dreams scoring four times in three competitive matches, but manager, Jose Mourinho wants the older man to lead the team in terms of dressing room and title-winning experience. Zlatan will also improve and challenge Lukaku, which can only help the team.
He will wear the number 10 jersey vacated by Wayne Rooney, who left this summer for boyhood club, Everton. Zlatan wore No. 9 last season, but says he has upgraded to the 10. Speaking about the jersey change, he told ESPN:
“Lukaku called me and said: “Bro, can I get the No. 9 shirt?” “I said: ‘I’m not on that level that I will make it difficult for you, I just want you to feel happy and feel welcome, so I give you the No. 9 but I will take the No. 10.’ That’s the way we do it.
“So I never left, I just upgraded my number.” he added.
The unfinished business Zlatan says he has is that he wants to win the Premier League and possibly the Champions League. He has taken a 50% pay cut to seal a return to the club. He scored 28 goals in all competitions last term, helping the club win the EFL Cup and Europa League in the process.
