Manchester United is set to lose the services of Zlatan Ibrahimovic according to current manager, Jose Mourinho. When asked about the 36-year-old’s situation, Mourinho said, “We all think it is his last season at Manchester United.I think he won the right to choose his life, his future, such an amazing player and an amazing career. Only that awful injury at the wrong moment broke a fantastic couple of seasons he could and should have with us.”
Even at such a late stage of his career, Zlatan’s determination and perseverance saw him make a miraculous return to the pitch within just 5 months from the injury after picking up an anterior cruciate ligament tear back in April. United could not afford to lose the services of the proud Swede and signed him up for another season.
After making 5 substitute appearances in the Premier League, Ibrahimovic took another blow and had to be sidelined. Maybe the extent of the injury was bound to span longer than the stipulated recovery period and this has ruined the striker’s run of form.
The £75m Romelu Lukaku has established himself as the first choice number nine and is a key figure in the club’s future. Here are three candidates Jose Mourinho can consider to replace the former Paris Saint-Germain forward –
Karim Benzema
Benzema is no longer the lethal threat that he once was with most of his chances straying wide from goal. The problem cannot be pegged to any one particular reason – be it the stagnation he might feel after spending 8 years at a club or playing second fiddle to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo for so long. Whatever it might be, Florentino Perez might just be ready to get rid of an ineffective limb and sign a younger replacement in the summer.
At 30, the Frenchman still has a lot to offer and can reunite with his former boss at Old Trafford.
Fernando Llorente
Llorente arrived at the Tottenham headquarters last summer for £15m after picking up a season of Premier League experience with Swansea City. The 32-year-old managed to net the ball 15 times in 32 appearances for the Swans last season but has been restricted to just 954 minutes of action under Mauricio Pochettino this campaign. Reportedly, he is not happy with the situation and the Red Devils can offer an escape.
Robert Lewandowski
After spending all of his stardom years in the Bundesliga, it looks like the Polish international might be in the market for a fresh challenge. The Premier League is always an illustrious career move for any professional footballer and fresh reports have surfaced linking him to Liverpool. However, with the 29-year-old still at his prime, the Red Devils can definitely make a move for him in order to beef up their attack.
