Zlatan Ibrahimovic gives biggest hint yet over Manchester United future

GiveMeSport

scores

By Kobe Tong

Published May 7, 2017

It's the biggest hint yet and his intentions are now crystal clear

Summing up Manchester United’s season is about as difficult as it gets.

One minute the Red Devils are putting Chelsea to the sword, the next they’re limping to yet another home draw. Jose Mourinho must be wondering what he needs to do to muster up some consistency at Old Trafford.

If there is one positive that can almost certainly be taken from this season, though, it’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

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The Swede was never exactly going to flop in the Premier League, but his capture has been nothing short of inspired. It now seems laughable to think that pundits and fans alike doubted whether he could adapt to English football.

With 28 goals in 46 appearances, he is far and away United’s top scorer this season. Marcus Rashford comes in at second place but his total is less than half of that of Ibrahimovic at 11.

Furthermore, the ex-Barcelona man has provided eight assists and has been the perfect role model for some of the club’s up and coming stars.

Consequently, if we were to rewind just a few weeks, everything would be looking fine and dandy. Mourinho has one of the world’s finest strikers at his disposal and a contract extension looks an absolute certainty.

However, Ibrahimovic’s brutal injury in the Europa League has changed all that and with as many as nine more months on the sidelines, it’s certainly been a spanner in the works.

At the age of 35, also, there’s no guarantee that the Swede will come back the same player. What seemed a guaranteed future at Old Trafford was swiftly cast into doubt.

Well, United fans have now been given their biggest indicator yet as to Ibrahimovic’s plans and whether he intends to prolong his stay in England. It might not be the news supporters hoped for.

According to the Sunday People Sport and as corroborated by the Mirror, the striker and his family are preparing to move out of their Cheshire home next month. This in spite of the fact the property was rented until August.

Considering that Ibrahimovic made no guarantees that he would spend any of his recovery at Carrington and that he is currently stateside, the evidence is stacking up.

Recent reports by The Sun too have outlined his plans to take 50 of the club’s staff and players for a ‘thank you’ dinner. It has all the makings of a goodbye after a fleeting fling in the Premier League.

Many believe that he will take to the MLS next with his scheduled return to fitness coinciding with the beginning of their 2018 season.

While, of course, there is still potential for Ibrahimovic to stay in England, the logic of such a decision is questionable and the evidence doesn’t bode well.