The transfer window in the Premier League has sprung into life in recent weeks with the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Wayne Rooney grabbing all the headlines. However, the future of former Manchester United enigma Zlatan Ibrahimovic has gone under the radar, as he remains a free agent ahead of the upcoming campaign. We take a look at where the 35-year-old’s future may lie.
The Swedish striker was signed by Manchester United last summer on a free transfer, and the move attracted a huge amount of media interest, with many believing that he could no longer perform at the highest level.
However, this proved not to be the case as he went on to score 28 goals in his debut season at Manchester United before rupturing his cruciate knee ligaments in the Europa League against Anderlecht in April which ended his season prematurely. This has led to him becoming a free agent once again this summer as United are reluctant to give him a new deal until he proves his fitness.
The addition of Lukaku to Manchester United as he joined in a deal worth £75 million plus add-ons, has cast Ibrahimović’s future into further doubt. It is difficult to see how Lukaku and Ibrahimović would fit into the same side considering they both have similar traits.
They are both powerful strikers who can spearhead their team’s attack, and both like to be considered as the ‘main’ man. They both have sizeable egos which could potentially clash if they were in the same club.
If both were part of Mourinho’s plans going forward, then it would also limit 19-year-old Marcus Rashford’s opportunities massively. It could see Rashford pushed out into a wide position which could hinder his development.
If Manchester United decide not to offer Ibrahimovic a new deal, which at the moment appears to be the most likely scenario, then he is not short of options ahead of next season. Reports have recently suggested that Major League Soccer sides LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC are both interested in securing his services.
LA Galaxy boss Curt Onalfo has admitted that he is looking to add “world class” talent to his squad and Ibrahimović would certainly fall into that category.
However, Mino Raiola, one of the biggest agents in football, is representing Ibrahimovic and has previously stated that he will be playing his football in Europe next season. Despite this, if the Swede does opt to move elsewhere then LA Galaxy appear to be in prime position to land his signature.
The former Manchester United striker is unlikely to be available to play first team football again until the early stages of 2018 as he continues to recover from his injury. This does make it a gamble to anyone who is prepared to take on his hefty wage packet. There is also no guarantee that once he has recovered, he will be the same player, as at his age it can be more difficult to recover from long-term injuries.
The speculation about his future is set to be ended in the near future with Ibrahimovic set to make a “big announcement” in the coming days.
