Its one of the best signings of the summer transfer window as Manchester United have re-signed striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a new one-year contract.
Ibra was terrific last season, scoring 28 goals in 46 games last season, including the winning goal in the EFL Cup Final, before tearing ligaments in his knee during the Europa League semi-finals in April.
At that point, Zlatan was expected to be out for up to nine months, but his recovery has been remarkable and he is slated to return to the United line-up against Spurs at the end of October.
That timetable would mean that Ibrahimovic could possibly participate in the three Champions League group stage matches, which is one reason why the announcement was made today.
“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” Jose Mourinho told the club’s official website.
Ibrahimovic, who will wear the No. 10 shirt this season, said:
“I come back to finish what I started,” Ibrahimovic told ESPN FC. “We had couple of teams [interested in me] but, I mean there was couple of teams reaching out, wanted to ‘Ibra-kadabra’ in their team, but I had such a great year with United, we had a great year, we won three trophies.
“Fantastic guys, great club. A coach that I’ve known from before. I was happy. It’s not always about the sportive thing.
“I feel good. I work hard, I didn’t have a day off since the injury, I want to keep playing at the top level and you need to build up the knee and do good, because when I come back I don’t want to be something I wasn’t, I want to be the one I was and even better.
“So it means I have to train even harder, train myself harder and push myself as much as I can do, and that is what I’m doing every day.
“But I feel good, nothing rushed like somebody think. And we train according to the schedule and according to how I feel.
“I am strong. In the beginning when it happened, it was something new for me because it was a big injury, this is the first major injury and was a different situation because I’ve been playing 15-20 years, every game feeling good, feeling fresh, until that moment where I feel I will not be able to play every three days.
“It will take longer than one month, it’s a new situation, something new I have to learn, a new challenge I have to go through but mentally I am strong.
“When I decide something, I don’t back up from that challenge or something else, I go for the objective and my goal is to come back and be stronger and to do more because I’m not done yet. I decide when I’m done.”
