Zlatan Ibrahimovic's untimely season-ending knee injury suffered against Anderlecht in the Europa League last week has been a cruel blow for Manchester United.

The Red Devils are in the semi-finals of the Europa League and just a point outside of the Champions League places in the Premier League.

If ever there was ever a more crucial time for United's top scorer to be available, it would be now.

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Jose Mourinho's side face local rivals Manchester City in the Manchester derby on Thursday evening, with the Portuguese coming up against his rival Pep Guardiola for the second time in the Premier League.

But the Red Devils will have to face their crunch fixture with City, which could see either of the two sides leapfrog third-placed Liverpool, without Ibrahimovic who has provided 17 league goals for United this campaign.

That will leave Mourinho with the choice of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, who have produced one goal more in all competitions this campaign than the Swede has in the league alone, while outcast Wayne Rooney is an alternative option.

However, United have faced a financially tough decision to continue to pay the former Paris Saint-Germain striker while he spends the next nine months recovering from his last-minute injury in the Europa League last week.

Ibrahimovic rejects deal while injured

According to Dream Team FC, Mourinho has pressed ahead with offering Ibrahimovic the one-year extension that was agreed when he initially signed a one-year deal last summer. But the Swede has rejected the chance to sign the deal while he's unfit to play.

And that is bad news for Mourinho's side, who were willing to meet the £13 million deal, which could now see the 35-year-old having played his last game and walk away from the club.

Ibrahimovic believes it would not be right to accept his £250,000-a-week wage from the club while he's not fit to contribute to the team, meaning it will be 2018 before he can start earning a wage again, when his current one-year deal expires this summer.

United board cleared contract extension

With 28 goals to his name for United, it's no surprise that Mourinho was desperate for the striker to stay on next season, with the club set to bolster their squad with the signing of Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann this summer.

United's board also gave the go ahead to activate the option for a second year, given how vital Ibrahimovic has been to United during Mourinho's first campaign in charge, but the future is now unclear for the former PSG star.

LA Galaxy have reportedly ended their interest in Ibrahimovic, following his knee injury, meaning the threat of the 35-year-old ditching Old Trafford for the MLS is off the cards for now. But a deal to stay in Manchester once he has recovered still seems some way off.