‘Ahead of schedule’ Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be set for Manchester United return, claims report

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is no longer a Manchester United player... but let's not assume this means we've seen the last of him in action for Jose Mourinho's team.

The Swede finished last season as United's top scorer, but after rupturing knee ligaments against Anderlecht in April, hopes of him signing a one-year extension to his deal at Old Trafford went up in smoke. Although no longer on the payroll, Ibrahimovic is using United's training facilities during his rehabilitation with reports claiming he is likely to be ready to play again at some point in early 2018. Where he plays still appears to be unclear. It's expected that the 35-year-old will move to Major League Soccer at some point, while some reports have claimed a return to Italy could also be an option for him. Not for the first time, one report on Thursday has claimed Zlatan could be set for a short-term deal with United. According to The Sun, the former Paris Saint-Germain striker has astounded the club's medical team by being ahead of schedule in his recovery and is expected to be handed a contract until the end of next season. With reports of Ibrahimovic returning for United refusing to die, this might explain why Romelu Lukaku saw fit to ask his permission to wear the club's number nine shirt after sealing his move from Everton last week. With Wayne Rooney heading in the opposite direction to Lukaku, United have little in the way of options when it comes to strikers. Anthony Martial played up top for most of his first season with the club, but has featured largely as a winger under Mourinho. Marcus Rashford also spent much of last season playing out wide with the United manager preferring a system which saw Ibrahimovic operate as the lone striker.