Manchester United Set To Confirm Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Departure
Reuters / Jason Cairnduff
Manchester United are set to confirm the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Friday, Goal understands.
The Old Trafford outfit are set to release their annual list of players that have been retained on Friday at 9 pm BST, and Ibrahimovic is set to be one of the names that will be excluded from the list.
The Swede has had an exceptional first season at the Theatre of Dreams, scoring an impressive 28 goals in 46 games in all competitions. However, the striker suffered a brutal injury – a torn ACL in his knee – during United’s quarter-final clash with Anderlecht.
The injury ruled Ibrahimovic out of the Red Devils’ last 10 games of the season – including the Europa League final in his hometown, against his former club Ajax. Reports suggested that the legendary forward was set to be out for many more months, which could see him miss half of the upcoming season.
United were initially considering the possibility of offering Ibrahimovic a one-year contract extension after his brilliant return in his first season. However, following his injury, the Reds have had to reconsider their stance on the issue.
Ibrahimovic earns huge wages at Old Trafford, and signing the striker on for another year could be a big burden to the club financially, as it would cost them millions of pounds. As a result, they have decided against signing him up for another year, and have started looking for replacements for the 35-year-old.
Should Ibrahimovic not be offered a new deal, the Swede may decide to move on from top level football, and may move to the MLS or China after a blockbuster career that saw him win an incredible number of trophies with some of the biggest clubs in European football.
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